Squeeks of the Weeks

I'm a little backlogged with my Squeeks...

I'm amazed everyday by the things they say.  (I did not intend another rhyme just then.  Really.)

After a long bout of frustration and disapointment (ie, noisy little sisters, not getting to watch/do/go where she wants, being instructed by her "bossy" mother), Ali exclaims: 
"I... I.... I just feel like a piece of candy that has NO flavor!!"    Interpret as you wish...  

After spending the weekend watching football with her Dad, Ali saunters into the bathroom, leans against the door, takes a swig of Sprite and announces,
"Colorado's defense sucks."   Indeed. 

Mia is determined to join a soccer team this spring and shares her fantasies of goal-glory with me daily...
"When I play soccer, I be on the Apple's team." 
"Apples?  Okay, Mia."
"When I get too big for the Apple's, I play on the Banana's team.  I can wear Ali's old Bumblebee's uniform because Banana's are yellow and black too!"
"Sure are!"
"Then when I be too big for the Banana's, I be on the Pear's team."
"Mia, it sounds like your team should be called the Fruits!!" 

Gobble Till You Wobble

I am thankful for Texas Cuties,

warm and sweet,

cranberry jelly and turkey meat!

I am thankful for eggnog cake,

and Reddiwhip,

one small Moose-baby on my hip!

I am thankful for Grandma,

cousins and Uncle Tom,

Yes, my family is "da bomb".

Interview With a Modern First Grader

Mom:  Good morning, Ali.  May I interview you for my blog?
Ali:  Umm, sure.  What's an interview?  (pause)  What's your blog?
Mom:  An interview is where I ask you questions and you tell me your answers.  My blog is that website on the computer where I write stories about you and stuff. 
Ali:  Oh!  Sure!
Mom:  So - tell me, how did you get the name "Squeek"?
Ali:  Because I squeek and nobody else squeeks like me and I used to have squeeky buns.
Mom:  Squeeky buns?
Ali:  Yeah, you used to call me "Squeeker Buns".
Mom: And "Squeeker Bug". 
Ali:  Oh yeah. 
Mom:  Are you more like your Mom or your Dad?
Ali:  (lots of consideration) My Dad.  Because he likes donuts, I like donuts, he likes soccer, I like soccer, I have a temper and he gets mad a lot, he likes cars and I like cars, and we both like ranch dip.  On everything!
Mom:  What's the best thing about being the biggest sister?
Ali:  The best thing is like, I have 2 little cousins and one to be born and 2 sisters and I get to take care of them.  And I can pour my own milk.  And one more thing!  Like I can help build things maybe?  Like I can fix things.  Like if they cry. 
Mom:  Do you have any advice for Mia on how to be a good big sister?
Ali:  She needs to learn to swim without water wings and she has to have love in her heart.
Mom:  What's the most important t hing you have to teach Eva?
Ali:  How to walk.  And how to talk.  You can't do very much without talking!  And how to swim.
Mom:  Who do you think could swim the fastest, Cinderella or Sleeping Beauty? 
Ali:  I think Cinderella because she likes to do things and clean things and Sleeping Beauty likes fashion and naps.  And Cinderella gets dirty sometimes so she might not mind getting wet, but Sleeping Beauty no. 
Mom:  What's the best part of first grade?
Ali:  You get to meet new friends and make a best one.  My best friend is Claudia.  And Sophia. 
Mom:  Why Claudia?
Ali:  Because we're just alike.  We mostly like to goof around and we wish we were sisters.
Mom:  Hot lunch or cold?
Ali:  Hot lunch because it's easier.  And sometimes you get things like pizza or chicken patties that you can't bring in your lunch bag!
Mom:  Do first grade girls have boyfriends?
Ali:  EWWW!  (hesitates) No.  That's a bad question.  Why?  It's gross.  You should be a teenager to have a boyfriend. 
Mom:  Yeah.  Or you could be twenty.  That'd be okay with me.
Ali:  Yeah, because he might try to kiss you.  Claudia has a boyfriend.  One time outside she met a boy and they loved each other and they kissed each other a teacher saw!  And then they got in trouble and had to break up.  
Mom:  Well, what happens when you break up?  
Ali:  That means that you're not boyfriend and girlfriend anymore.  And you can't kiss and love each other anymore.  But you can still be friends! 
Mom:  Do you ever chase boys?
Ali:  Not really.  Me and Claudia stick together.  But the boys try to make us chase them and kiss them and get us in trouble but we ignore them. 
Mom:  Okay, one more question.... How did you get to be so cute and adorable and smart and delicious?
Ali:  (smiles) Umm, my mom!
Mom:  Good answer.  Thanks for the interview. 

Ali:  Welcome!

Going to the Lodge!

Joe has been coaching Ali's soccer team, the Bumblebees (formerly the Butterflies, formerly known as the Little Doras) for a couple years now.  The season wraps up with a chaotic pizza party with all the players, siblings and parents.  Being involved in soccer has been quite the blessing for us!  We love the family time, going to the games and the great friends we've made.  The team parents always present Joe with a much appreciated, albeit unneccessary, thank you gift at the pizza party.  This year it was a family pack of day passes to the waterpark at the Great Wolf Lodge! 

The girls were speechless when we asked them to grab their bathing suits and get and get in the car.  It was gray and rainy outside! 

Eva spent the day at Auntie Leslie's.  But we missed her when we saw the "Loose Moose Cottage" restaurant!

Ali could not get enough of the wave pool and the big slides!

 Mia preferred hanging out in the hot tub, which suited me just fine!

Big Sisters

Little Sister

Dozens of Cousins

This morning James came over to play.  Not because his Mommy was busy or because he needed a babysitter - just because he woke up in the morning and said, "Hmm... I go Misha's house?!"  ("Misha" is a family pet name primarily used by James for Mia).  I love that.  I love that my sister and I have been fortunate enough to raise our children together thus far.  I love that at preschool, James and Mia squabble like siblings.  I love that Ali will ask for "alone time" with Auntie.  And I love that occasionally all the kids can descend upon Grandma and Pop-Pop for an evening...

I am still close to my cousins.  Life has taken us many different directions, but I still feel connected.  Joe has similar connections to a fabulous extended family.  Care to reminisce? 

Our cousins have become confidantes, role models, Godparents and friends.  I pray my girls have similar relationships with their family as adults.

The happiest moments of my life have been the few which I have passed at home in the bosom of my family. ~Thomas Jefferson

Squeek of the Week

From the backseat of the minivan...

Ali:  "Aren't you glad I broke up with Grady?"

Mom:  "Broke up?"

Ali:  "Yeah.  I had to break up with him."

Mom:  "What does that mean exactly?"

Ali:  "He can't play with me at recess any more." 

Mom:  "Oh." 

My Family

Now that our family is complete (sigh...) I thought it would be a good idea to have some nice, family photos taken.  Eventually, Joe agreed.  I found Cynthia through my friend Jen.  What a talented photographer!  Even though it was 50 degrees out, dinner time, and raining - Cynthia made us look like a warm, happy family!  You will be seeing photos from this session all over this blog.  And facebook.  And your christmas card.  Enjoy! 

On My Nervous

"Mia, be gentle please."

"Mia, stay out of her face."

"Mia, don't get in her space."

"Mia, she's crying because you are too close."

"Mia, back off a little."

"Mia, not so loud."

"Mia, remember that she's much smaller than you."

"Mom!  Stop telling me "no, no, no", you are on my nervous!!" 

A Frightfully Good Time

Halloween has become more of a week-long scare-fest full of opportunities to dress up and eat junk.  

Have you noticed?

 I'm not complaining.  I love planning Halloween costumes with the girls and decorating the house and yard!  I love making Halloween treats at home and sending the girls to school all dressed up.  It's great!  And this year was exceptional because I managed to get the night off of work. 

But nothing ever goes as planned.

Our Pumpkin required an unecessarily long visit to Urgent Care to receive a prescription for Tamiflu.

Which means our Trick or Treaters were delayed in their eagerly anticipated "running amuck" through the neighborhood.  They were none too happy about it, either. 

Some tasty treats at Grandma's made the wait a little more bearable.

Finally, a tired, soggy, medicated Pumpkin and an over-stimulated, drowsy Spider were put to bed and 2 nurses and 1 dragon dinosaur roamed the neighborhood for treats. 
Fortunately, we didn't encounter any zombies or goblins.  Or screaming teenagers out for a thrill. 

That would have spelled disaster for the dragon dinosaur.

However, I would have given all the Snickers in Ali's treat bag to ring the doorbell at Nana's.