Fund Raising

Here are my thoughts. We're barely a month into the school year and already Miss. Natalie is dragging home packet after packet of stuff we're supposed to be selling. Cookie dough, wrapping paper, gift shop items, magazines- you name it, we're probably selling it. It's such a broad range of stuff to sell, I don't know how to start! Here's the thing... they don't want Ali to call Grandma and ask her if she would like to buy something from the fund raiser! No- gone are the days when the little kids call up their Aunties and Grandmas and sweet talk them into a chocolate bar or two. Ali's school wants me to send in copies of my address book (I exaggerate ever so slightly) so they can sell them to these fund raising companies! Um, I don't think so! And here's how to the school gets you: Ali's teacher told the class of five year olds that if they bring in their Mommy's addresses for the magazine sales, they get their name on the board with a gold star, they will get to pick a treasure from the treasure chest, they get a ring-pop, and possibly win $20. Prizes, candy and money?? Ali has been relentlessly on my case to turn in the addresses. As much as I'd like to say that I stuck to my principles.. I can only take the pleading of my Kindergartener for so long... So for those of you who recieve postcards from the magazine sales company - you have my blessing if you disregard it and wait for that phone call about the cookie dough. =)

A New Season

We have long awaited the beginning this years' soccer season! And it's here! We're very fortunate that all six of the girls and Coach Joe enjoyed themselves so much that they all came back for another year of soccer! Our team stayed the same! The only thing that changed was the team name. The "Little Dora's" sounded much to juvenile for a team of Kindergarteners- so the girls (after several failed suggestions) decided to become the "Butterflies".

This is Ali's look when she's in the middle of a game. So serious. A little angry. It's caused me to ask her several times if she likes playing soccer because it's supposed to be fun. I get "Mom! I can't smile at the camera when I'm playing!" as a response. Fair enough. Ali assures us that she is in fact having fun.
Now, I don't know that much about soccer, but Coach Joe would like me to mention that Ali made a left-footed shot during this game and scored a goal. We have so much fun watching her!


Here's the Varsity Team after the game. They are so funny dribbling the ball up and down the field! James lines up the ball to make a goal while Mia yells "No hands Baby Boy, no hands!"

She shoots, she scores! Yeah Mia!!

And Pierce. He practices his kicks while laying at a safe distance. He loves soccer.

Great Idea!

We took the girls out to dinner for some family time before I had to come to work tonight. Here's our conversation in the car on the way there...
Mommy: "Hey girls? What are you going to order for dinner? What sounds good?"
Ali: "Well, I haven't decided yet. I think maybe chicken strips."
Mia: "Mia have dessert."
Ali: (Laughs) "Wow Mia! What a great idea!!"

(No, I didn't let Mia have dessert for dinner. I made her eat some fries first.)

To The Zoo, Again!

The weather is FINALLY changing! With a high in the upper 80's, we decided we were ready to make our first trip to the zoo since spring! We got there late and only had about an hour before closing, but with 4 kids to keep track of (between my sister and I) it really didn't seem all that short! So, ya' know how most little kids have a "boogie-man" or "monster" that lives in the closet or under the bed? Well, Mia has a "Pooky Monkey" (aka Spooky Monkey) that lives in the dark places of her bedroom at night. She worries about "Pooky Monkey bites!" Where did that come from? It might have something to do with the time I accidently let her and Ali watch King Kong. Didn't I tell you about that? Oh well, it's history, right? Anyway, I tried to take this opportunity to point out REAL monkeys at the zoo and show Mia that they are not 40 feet tall, and that they are in fact funny to watch. It worked!
And then we observed this lion. He put on a fabulous show of growling and roaring for at least 5 full minutes. It was awesome! And it made little Mia jump out of her skin. I give it a couple more days and then I'll be looking for "Pooky Lions" under her bed.

The most adorable partners in crime you've ever seen!

Best part of the zoo in Ali's opinion? When the Hippo went potty in his pond for a really, really long time. "He doesn't drink that water, does he?"

Here's Pierce with his Grandma. Post-burp. He loved the zoo.