You're the best! We love you!
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Ivy's First haircut!
What is it about a little girl's hair? Why do we cherish that little baby hair from their first haircut, keep it in an envelope, and put it in a baby book?
Well, I don't know the answers to these difficult questions, but I do know that Ivy's hair has a story to tell.
Ivy was born with a ton of hair. The nurses called it "golden" and it was curly, like Lizzie's was. When her hair started to grow in, for some reason it grew extra long and extra fast on the right side in the front. And of course, it grew into a blond ringlet. It was completely out of balance with the rest of her hair. Did I cut it? No! I knew that eventually she would either become an Ashkenasi Jew and it would save her the trouble of years of growing out side ringlets, or it would all eventually grow in and even out.
Which it did. It grew and it grew and it grew. And pretty soon, everyone that Ivy met thought she was at least a year older than she was because she had so much dang hair!
I loved it when people would ask me if I curled it or if it was naturally curly. Who are you kidding? Who would actually curl a 2-year-old's hair, and what 2-year-old would sit still for it!
Truth be told, I am a chicken. I was all set to give Ivy her first haircut about 2 months ago. She needed it! She was all ready, in my bathroom, on a tall chair, hair brushed out, scissors in my hand. And...I chickened out! I couldn't make the first cut! Good thing I never tried to be a surgeon! Thankfully, Cindy McCook got the job done for me today.
Here's the Before picture: (sorry it's not great - she wasn't happy about this hair "cut," and so she was throwing a sobbing tantrum most of the time. Hard to get a good shotwhen there are flailing limbs, tears, and scissors all in the same room!)
Well, I don't know the answers to these difficult questions, but I do know that Ivy's hair has a story to tell.
Ivy was born with a ton of hair. The nurses called it "golden" and it was curly, like Lizzie's was. When her hair started to grow in, for some reason it grew extra long and extra fast on the right side in the front. And of course, it grew into a blond ringlet. It was completely out of balance with the rest of her hair. Did I cut it? No! I knew that eventually she would either become an Ashkenasi Jew and it would save her the trouble of years of growing out side ringlets, or it would all eventually grow in and even out.
Which it did. It grew and it grew and it grew. And pretty soon, everyone that Ivy met thought she was at least a year older than she was because she had so much dang hair!
I loved it when people would ask me if I curled it or if it was naturally curly. Who are you kidding? Who would actually curl a 2-year-old's hair, and what 2-year-old would sit still for it!
Truth be told, I am a chicken. I was all set to give Ivy her first haircut about 2 months ago. She needed it! She was all ready, in my bathroom, on a tall chair, hair brushed out, scissors in my hand. And...I chickened out! I couldn't make the first cut! Good thing I never tried to be a surgeon! Thankfully, Cindy McCook got the job done for me today.
Here's the Before picture: (sorry it's not great - she wasn't happy about this hair "cut," and so she was throwing a sobbing tantrum most of the time. Hard to get a good shotwhen there are flailing limbs, tears, and scissors all in the same room!)
And the After: (She got two new bows to put in her new hair)
And here's an Ode to Ivy's Best 'Do's in Days Gone By:
Just wispies for now.
This is Ivy at an ivy league school (John's graduation from Yale). And she has ivy on her jacket. And there was lots of real ivy vines there. I love themes!
Also, notice the curl forming on the right side of her head - you thought I made that up, didn't you?
This is one of my favorite pictures of Ivy. The girl's got curls!
Halloween 2006
Christmas Ivy. The left side has still not caught up with the right side yet. But don't tell Ivy. She doesn't know.
Who says you can't have outlandish hair while you eat chicken nuggets?
Crazy hair!
Fancy Hair
Blurry, but Long!
Sunday, August 31, 2008
FLAGSTAFF!!!
What did we do in Flagstaff?
Well, we went mini-golfing...
...and to the over-priced but wild and fun Deer Farm...
...spent some time in the car...
At the Waputi National Monument museum, we saw this about the "CCC" (for some reason, they think "CCC" stands for the "Civilian Conservation Corps")
...where we had a rainy hike to see the Indian cliff dwelling ruins...
...and witnessed Lisa's creation of the broiled s'more...
THANK YOU, ANDREWS for inviting us to Flagstaff! We had a GREAT time! :)
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Creative Writin'
Lizzie came home with a creative writing assignment to do. It started out like this:
"One day I was ridin' across the prairie, mindin' my own business when"
Her job was to finish the story. Let's just say she took the "theme" and started "runnin'" with it.
So, she showed me what she wrote (spelling all intact):
You should hear her read it out loud.
"One day I was ridin' across the prairie, mindin' my own business when"
Her job was to finish the story. Let's just say she took the "theme" and started "runnin'" with it.
So, she showed me what she wrote (spelling all intact):
One day I was ridin' across the prairie, mindin' my own business when I
heard somthin' as quie' as a spur spinnin' on a boot. I decided to get off
Bolony, ma horse, and take a look aroun'. All I foun' was a couple of rattle
snakes 'n cacti. The cactus I 'as lookin' at when ma horse whinied a couple a'
times, it's thorns rustled, and moved aroun'. Ma, personally, thought this was
very odd. I looked down at the cactus at ma very faet (feet).
Two bulging seeds popped out a' the cactus. One of a' thorns was turnin'
sideways! "I ought ta calm down!" I told myself. The thorn spli' apar' an' I
heard a voice sayin' "I'm Spiky, the Cactus." I looke' down. The seeds blinked
at me.
"Ha!" I cackled. The cactus was talkin' to ma.
"Solve please"
said Spiky.
A piece of pape' hung from a thorn. I took it. It said:I need help. all my friends and family are sick.
Find medicine. We die. Sad.
PLEASE! I sick too. - Spiky
I wen' to a plant. I squeezed the juice. I looked in ma bag. "It
ain't here," I said. I 'as lookin' for ma leather cup. "Here it is!" I gave it
to Spiky. He thanked me. "Ma first case is Solved!"
You should hear her read it out loud.
Yes, I did turn 30.
I have actually started three different posts about this, but each time I have succumbed to overwhelming feelings of gratitude and humility.
Some of you out there know exactly what I'm talking about!
My sweet, dear husband, knows me very well. He knows that even though I protest, I love to be the center of attention on my birthday. And even though this year was a little crazy with the launch of our new business, the new school year, and the fresh virulent viruses that attacked all of us, he still found time to give me a meaningful gift.
My birthday morning was a Sunday, and I woke up with a raging sore throat and ear. I thought: "Ohhh! I'm thirty now, and my body is falling apart! I guess this is what it's like! (Moan, groan)" I stayed home that day and experienced what the house is like while everyone went to church. (It's eerily quiet!)
That night, Adam made me my favorite dish (Sun-dried Tomato Risotto), and then he gave me a packet of paper. This was to be my gift, and I was skeptical at best.
Then I realized what it was, and I started crying. It was a huge compilation from friends past and present, immediate and not-so-immediate family, all writing to me words of love and well-wishes. And stories and memories. It was like "This is your Life" from Sesame Street! (My dream come true). It was just so overwhelming - the tears kept coming as I read through every word. I hope all of you know how meaningful that was to me. I keep replaying the words in my head, so whether you meant it, or were just flattering me because you think we might be rich someday, I cherished every. single. word.
The reason I haven't written and thanked you all sooner is because I am overwhelmed! I didn't know what to say that could express what gratitude I feel at all of your friendships.
Truly, this is the best gift.
Thank you!
Some of you out there know exactly what I'm talking about!
My sweet, dear husband, knows me very well. He knows that even though I protest, I love to be the center of attention on my birthday. And even though this year was a little crazy with the launch of our new business, the new school year, and the fresh virulent viruses that attacked all of us, he still found time to give me a meaningful gift.
My birthday morning was a Sunday, and I woke up with a raging sore throat and ear. I thought: "Ohhh! I'm thirty now, and my body is falling apart! I guess this is what it's like! (Moan, groan)" I stayed home that day and experienced what the house is like while everyone went to church. (It's eerily quiet!)
That night, Adam made me my favorite dish (Sun-dried Tomato Risotto), and then he gave me a packet of paper. This was to be my gift, and I was skeptical at best.
Then I realized what it was, and I started crying. It was a huge compilation from friends past and present, immediate and not-so-immediate family, all writing to me words of love and well-wishes. And stories and memories. It was like "This is your Life" from Sesame Street! (My dream come true). It was just so overwhelming - the tears kept coming as I read through every word. I hope all of you know how meaningful that was to me. I keep replaying the words in my head, so whether you meant it, or were just flattering me because you think we might be rich someday, I cherished every. single. word.
The reason I haven't written and thanked you all sooner is because I am overwhelmed! I didn't know what to say that could express what gratitude I feel at all of your friendships.
Truly, this is the best gift.
Thank you!
Saturday, August 23, 2008
The CCC is up and running!
After a crazy week, with being sick and a whole lotta work to do, we pulled off the launch of the Chandler Chidren's Choir!
It was so exciting and amazing to see it all come together after so many months of preparation. All day long, I was thinking to myself things like, "WHAT the heck am I DOING!??!" and "WHO do I think I AM??!?!?" And it was all that feeling... Until... I stood up there in front of those sweet kids, and they looked up at me with complete trust, and we started singing. I taught them "O Music" which is a simple melody that turns into a 3 part round. They sounded so sweet and pure, and they were so darn proud of themselves for singing in 3-part harmony the first rehearsal.
And I was so darn proud of them too.
This is going to be a LOT of fun.
Preparing the music: cataloging, stamping, collating.
Lotsa folders! One for each singer!
First I led a meeting for the parents where we went through the Handbook.
Then I excused the parents, and we sang together for the first time.
After a mini-rehearsal, we played a game called "Meet the CCC"
Cute kids! Notice our "CCC" t-shirts! Thanks for the cool logo, Ward!
It was so exciting and amazing to see it all come together after so many months of preparation. All day long, I was thinking to myself things like, "WHAT the heck am I DOING!??!" and "WHO do I think I AM??!?!?" And it was all that feeling... Until... I stood up there in front of those sweet kids, and they looked up at me with complete trust, and we started singing. I taught them "O Music" which is a simple melody that turns into a 3 part round. They sounded so sweet and pure, and they were so darn proud of themselves for singing in 3-part harmony the first rehearsal.
And I was so darn proud of them too.
This is going to be a LOT of fun.
Preparing the music: cataloging, stamping, collating.
Lotsa folders! One for each singer!
First I led a meeting for the parents where we went through the Handbook.
Then I excused the parents, and we sang together for the first time.
After a mini-rehearsal, we played a game called "Meet the CCC"
Cute kids! Notice our "CCC" t-shirts! Thanks for the cool logo, Ward!
Lose some cupcakes, gain some decor...
The sad news is that Fairy Cakes, my most favorite cupcake haunt, has closed. I couldn't have been sadder than when I tried to go get a treat during my birthday week only to find out the shop had been cleared out completely. :(
The good news? Fairy Cakes had a garage sale! Being a loyal customer, they notified me about it, and I'm telling you, I had some good shopping karma today! Lisa and I had SO much fun (we just wish it had been at least 30 degrees cooler...).
Check out our spoils!
And try not to be jealous.
And the Piece de Resistance:
I'm buying geraniums to put in it!!
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