Halloween, haunts and hooligans...

******************************************The girls had a great time dressing for Halloween. Not having the money to spend on the fancy $35 Walmart quality costumes, nor the desire to dress my precious darlings as hustlers - we opted to be creative this year (perhaps the beginning of a tradition). Missy chose to be 'cat-girl' having her face decorated by a class-mate while Sissy decided she'd be Super Piggy! (Her mind goes places even mine doesn't!) They both had a great time. We enjoyed them and they enjoyed the holiday. **** As a matter-of-fact, they're still enjoying the holiday. Last night I found Sissy sitting at the kitchen table with the bowl of Halloween candy in front of her and wrappers of candy surrounded her bowl. She confessed this morning that she was trying to make 'toot-sweets' like she'd just seen on Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang (the movie). What she was successful in making was a super sugar high child! Fortunately she doesn't have school on Tuesdays, so she was able to sleep off her indulge!

Mommy, is this appropriate?

Sissy joined me at a local community affair. I worried that she'd been too young and disinterested and might get anxious to leave. Much to my surprise there was a hispanic girl close to her age also at the event. The two were so excited to spot each other - just to have someone alike.
The little nina didn't speak English and the little girl didn't speak Spanish. Thinking this new relationship could never work with this language barrier - I learned a lesson.
Those two girlies talked to each other (in their own words), played with one another and danced allll over the affair. At the end of the night I asked Sissy if she learned the other little girl's name. She answered me indignantly: "Mom, she doesn't know our language. She doesn't speak Colorado!"

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The other day Missy paraded Sissy out and around so proud of her (Missy's) fashion design. She says she wants to be a designer some day. Sissy is compliant and enjoys being Missy's model. Watch out, world! Here they come! The drama queen and her understudy.
(At least they look good. Inappropriate, but good.)

Anniversary brings Happy Times

Well, here we are, Mister D and I...eleven years of marriage and two beautiful daughters later, we have made an investment in our future and their child-hood memories with this new purchase of ours. We began tent-camping this summer and have loved the times at the lake so much that after much coercing and prayer (and finding a steal of a deal) we invested in this beautiful bumper-pull camper trailer.
This weekend was our first weekend out and happened to be our anniversary. Missy said it best when she announced that this was our best weekend ever camping and 'our' best anniversary ever! ha!

Palin for President!

I know Sarah Palin is the Republican Vice Presidential nominee, but I am all for Palin for President! An amazing speaker; her true, down-to-earth, no-nonsense approach hit a chord within my soul. She fired me up from the moment she took the podium and even inspired me to believe in the depths of myself about what I could do for my family, community, government and even my country in the name of God.
She is level-headed and strong-willed. She is brave, strong and confident. She is amazing. A floundering campaign has been revived in the choice of Governor Sarah Palin for Vice President. A country will benefit from her service and we will all be stronger after this leadership takes hold of an uncertain economy. Palin for Vice President (for now) and Palin for President in the (near) future.

Saved by the Bell

While summer is a wonderful break from the mundane schedule of life, it was so good to get the girls back into the routine of things! **************************

Missy began 3rd grade Aug 19th and while she was anxious about being in a new building, she was pleasantly surprised when she knew almost all of the kids in her class. It was good to be reunited with friends from years past. The overwhelming amount of homework hasn't started yet - so it is still an enjoyable time for all of us.
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Sissy began her first day of Pre-K on Friday. She was so excited to go back to school to see her friends, too! I will surely be a bawling mess next year when she starts Kindergarten! I can't believe she is nearing 5 yrs old so rapidly! Daddy caught this precious bunny moment on film and I couldn't pass publishing it!

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Even Granma didn't realize how wonderful it was to have the girls back in school until one afternoon when the killing began - again. Sissy spit on Missy and Missy was about to have her head for it. The screaming and thrashing began all over. THEN Granma realized HOW glad she was she'd been saved by the proverbial 'bell' of fall.

News Bulletin

Local girl dontaes 10 1/2 inches of hair to charitable organiztion Locks of Love and impresses mother with thoughtful, unselfish giving but proves to depress mother by continuing to grow up. She will begin her first day of 3rd grade in just 3 days. Her summer has been a fast one.

Missy age 8 1/2

Knock your sox off - I'm back!!!

Hello long lost blog audience! Please forgive my absence...many things have been occupying my time in the last 2 months.

Our summer has begun in the midst of the busyness and this one is for the record books. We have begun to camp. Yup! Old fashioned tent-camping. This picture here is the morning after our first adventure. Boy, was it! We had a beautiful evening setting it up (thankfully as we really didn't know what we were doing) but as soon as we said our bedtime prayers thanking the Lord for his calm provisions, the wind took off. It would have like to blow us to Kansas like little Toto in the Wizard of Oz! It was a time of character and growth. Missy cried real tears and simply wanted to go home. Sissy, on the other hand, began to pray. 5 minute prayers at a time. Needless to say, we survived unscathed and have even gone again! What fun!

Another delightful thing this summer is the visit from our darling cousins. Seen here with Missy & Sissy are Ash & Pay from Texas. Their mother just celebrated her '29th' birthday and we have so enjoyed having them in our midst! We all would enjoy it if they lived closer but are truly thankful for the time we have when they get to come and visit.

Ash and Pay got to spend the night and would you believe (yes, I know you would) that those 2 older girls were up until after 2am! I'm sure they have solved all the worlds problems by now!

The little ones had a great time entertaining one another, too. Even tho Pay didn't plan on staying, it was the best thing in the world! Sissy says Pay is her 'summer brother'. Augh!!!