Between Now and Then: February 2008

Wednesday, February 27

SPT - Scavenger Hunt

Lelly's challenge......"ohh, i sooooo LOVE this idea! this weekend, we're going on a scavenger hunt for SPT!!" Here is what I found in my photo archives....

Light

Lips

Little

Laughter

Lavender

Lunch

Sunday, February 24

let the games begin

Carly had her first basketball game.

She was a star if I do say so myself.

You could see her gain confidence as the game went along.

.....

6 points and at least 6 rebounds!

.....

Kenny and I were so worn out from cheering and coaching from the stands we had to go home and take a nap.

Saturday, February 23

disappointment

Out of nowhere I had a lightbulb-above-the-head moment.

I do not want my precious child to feel disappointment - EVER.

I went to her classroom at the end of the day (thurs) to meet briefly with her teacher about a classroom project I am working on. When I saw Carly's face, I knew something was wrong. But honestly we have been struggling with a behavior I can best describe as being spoiled. So I talked with her teacher for a couple of minutes and when I looked back her eyes were watery (not the behavior we have been working to "nip-in-the-bud") there was definitely something more.

She was visibly trying to hold it together.

.....

The night before, Carly brought home a classroom assignment. She had to choose a person from a list to read a biography & write a report about and also to dress up like for what they call the Wax Museum. In fact she had to choose 3 and rate them 1,2, and 3. After much discussion, Carly chose Annie Oakley, Mary Lou Retton, and Dorthy Hamil.

.....

Right before I arrived the teacher had called Carly and a classmate to her desk and told them that they had both chosen Annie Oakley and gave them the opportunity for one of them to choose to let their classmate have their choice. Carly chose to let the other little girl have Annie Oakley. AND then she let another little girl have Mary Lou Retton (honestly I don't think she cared much about that one).

.....

About that time the kids were leaving the room and Carly made it to me. She buried her face in my side and I could tell she was crying. Her teacher told her she was proud of her for making a good decision. She said thank you and we made it to the car before she really lost it. I sat in the backseat with her and we talked about how disappointed she was. But that I was proud of her for making a hard decision and that many times making the right choice is hard. We also talked about that Dorothy Hamil was a great choice to read about and she was going to get to wear a cool costume. But it truly was not about Dorothy Hamil but more about having your heart set on something and losing it.

.....

We decided we needed something a little special as a "celebration" for making a good choice even when it was tough. I think that is something to reinforce. I foresee that this is nothing compared to other hard decisions she will have to face. Initially my mind jumped right to food because what says "good job" better than food. Wrong message! Since it was raining and cold that ruled out the park, tennis, bike riding, so this is where we ended up....

.....

Bowling

busy friday

sometimes you wonder ..... "where did the day go?"

dressed, child dressed, lunch packed, backpack checked -- uggh, forgot to review spelling words, dealing with Carly's aggravation at having to review spelling words. Daddy taking her to school!

clothes washed - well a load or two, but all are put away not dumped on the kitchen table needing to be folded up.

grocery shopping - mental note to self, Friday at 7:30a.m. is a good time to go the grocery store. There is nobody there.

creative time at my friend Ginny's house. Hard to call it that because there was only a little creativeness and a lot of talking but it was great to have some friend time. Thanks Ginny for inviting me over. I am always super jealous of your room but maybe we can get together around my dinning room table?

worked at Carly's school.

trip to the library - love the library!

found a Dorthy Hamil biography for Carly's school project!!!!

started dinner

took Carly to a make-up gymnastics session

finished dinner

Carly bathed, teeth brushed, prayers said and finally in the bed

husband cleaning the kitchen up

ahhhhhh, a hot bath and a new book......

Saturday, February 16

grandparents' day

Carly's school had Grandparents' Day on Friday.

There was a special program for the grandparents and

then time with Carly in the room.

MamMam and Grandaddy were able to come up for the day.

It was a special day for Carly.

We missed you, Finn and Nona!

are you kidding me?

yes there is more, as if my precious child had not had enough birthday and valentine fun, there is more, and more....and more. She is seriously spoiled by the lavishness of everyone this month. Here is what has come in the mail since my last "Carly's good mail" post.

{birthday webkins from Nona and D}

{super cute purse with valentine socks, valentine pin, valentine post-it notes, glitter markers and a scooby valentine from cousin JC}

Then MORE birthday gifts from grandparents......

{super funky shag rug from MamMam and Grandaddy for her bathroom}

{soooo cute new "c"-sweatshirt from great grandmother, Finn}

{matching pj's for Carly and Julie from Nona and D}

{and the grand finale, a new nightstand from MamMam & Grandaddy; a new lamp from Nona & D, and of course that super cute clock from Aunt Kacey. Carly was so excited she wanted to take this picture of her new stuff! The girl is set up.}

Tuesday, February 12

SPT - valentine's for me

Lelly SPT challenge..... "i have one more valentine to create: one more act of love to perform, one more thoughtful card to send, one more gift to give. the person who will be receiving this valentine is not expecting it, which makes it so much fun to prepare!!i am so excited, because that valentine is...me!

but, what to do? will i buy something for myself? will i write myself a love letter? will i indulge in chocolate"

***

****

Too many times I have heard (maybe even said) that I can never find the time. So for Valentine's Day (or maybe it was Lent), I have found the time for me.

Yes it is VERY early in the morning, and

YES it is still dark outside, and

YES it is cold, and

YES it is very hard to get out of the bed.

But it is quiet and it is mine, it is MY time.

Saturday, February 9

january reading

The Hanged Man's Song by John Sandford -- A pretty good mystery. I enjoyed it. Hanged man refers to the Hanged Man tarrot card not that someone gets hanged in the book although someone does get killed in the first chapter -possibly the first page. Not for Kacey.

Third Degree by Greg Iles -- Really liked this one. Suspenseful. He has great characters that you really get involved with.

Rhett Butler's People -- It is a "follow up" to Gone with the Wind. I really liked it and I think it was even better because I had just read Gone With the Wind. I have always loved Rhett the bad boy. I never liked that Gone with the Wind ends with him heartbroken. This book feels like you are getting the story behind the story.

Katrina: Mississippi Women Remember Christmas gift from Kacey. Thank you - I loved it. B&W photos and short stories by women whose lives were touched by Katrinia. Many brought tears and I could only read one at a time, but excellent stories of the human spirit.

But these have been taking most of my reading time. The more I read the more excited I get!!

spoiled by february

On the heels of tons of birthday fun, Carly came home to LOTS and LOTS of valentine good mail. She is not going to know what to do after all this fun. When she finally slowed down she let me take a quick picture before she started to eat and play.