The Mother of Geese

Seriously, that is the most beautiful smile ever, no? I have sort of been dreading the "losing the baby teeth" stage that we are entering with Abbie. I have to deal with setting the standard for the Tooth Fairy (change from the car?, toys?, silver dollars?, leave the teeth? take the teeth?). But mostly I have been sad because I think kids get kind of UGLY when they go through this stage, and with Brad and my big teeth our kids might as well look like this: She has been very patient and brave-even letting little sister give a go at the wiggle process: So here it is: Going Going Gone! (Nope, I didn't even let her rinse her mouth off before the picture...so enjoy the gore) I thought she was ok just letting it hang by a thread but when her friend lost a tooth at school today, Abbie felt a little peer pressure. Bring on the uglies, I guess. (Mostly I'm just sad that she's growing up)

I'm back- 10 minutes home from a little trip and I have... checked my email (I am so popular) hopped on the computer (showed great restraint by not commenting on everyone.) put my hair back in the pink tie Slipped back into the blue bathrobe. The barn can't stay painted for too long, right?

Today Brad needed to go to the data center and decided to get lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots of bonus points by taking the girls. Leaving a feverish, sleepy Max (teeth? ears? a cold? really wish he would just use his words and tell me what it is) and a very happy mama with nothing to do but the following: Lighting scented candles to make it cozy (its.snowing. A. Gain) Getting on his bike trainer (man that was a GREAT Christmas present.) Shaving my legs (its winter so I kind of need to schedule it) Taking a nap by the fire Catching up on the laundry NOT having PBS or QUBO on. Before I forget to document this-my girls are slightly obsessed with all things Paddington. I think its wonderful that their imaginations continue to run beyond the book. From the writing his name in steam on the windows, tea parties on top of tables, fascination with marmalade and recently, opera. On a separate note, Amelia is going through a phase where she is calling me Mama Meatball....

So yesterday Abbie was in her room and she did a little cough. She was doing her jobs and came out with a very sad look on her face. Abbie: Momma, I'm too sick to go to school today. Mom: Oh, yeah-you should probably stop doing your jobs and go lay down. Abbie: Yeah, and relax so I won't get sicker. Mom: Yep, go right to bed and stay there all day so you won't get sicker. Abbie: Or maybe I could just watch TV and lay down on the couch so I won't get sicker. Mom: Nah, you should really just lay in your bed all day with no toys or books so you won't get sicker, and no Fullers after school. Abbie: (force cough) Or maybe I just have allergies so I should go to school. Mom: Yeah, maybe. But now everytime she gives a little cough she looks at me and says SEE!! told you It's irritating. Should I let her stay home today (knowing that its a 3-day weekend so it will be a really long time until my darling is out of the house again?)

Read this and I think you'll agree.

In order to get the most out of your investment goals, make sure you trust that your money is going to be safe. Abbie trusts that her money is still in her piggy bank because that's where she left it when she went to school. Abbie's money is not safe. Your investments should have liquidity. Here Amelia is checking the liquidity To allow material assets to erode because of bad management is not good stewardship. She should evaluate her risk and return and know that if she cannot afford to lose it, she cannot afford to invest it. Here Amelia is reinvesting Abbie's money into Max's bank. I would advise Max to diversify.

Abbie -This week we finished reading Gooney Bird Greene and Magic Tree House #2. We started Paddington Bear, but its kind of slow going because mummy would rather read it in an english accent. After we finish reading Paddington, we are going to have a tea party with buns, cream, and marmalade jam. As a mother, I am not enjoying Paddington as much as when I was a little girl because HE IS SO STINKING MESSY!! And I don't have Ms. Bird to clean up after him. You made dinner for the family all by yourself on Saturday. You chose the recipe out of the very cool and retro Betty Crocker cookbook for kids (1957) and did everything but put it in the oven. (It was a healthy and delicious tuna caserole of tuna, cream of mushroom soup, peas, and potato chips... you chose carrots and oranges as the sides). You like to wear your bathrobe all day long just like your mummy. Amelia -It is so funny to me how you have such a deep throaty cackle when you laugh. I can't tell if you are faking it or ...

Last night we had some friends over for dinner and a movie (Philadelphia Story-no its not the AIDS one; Philly Cheese Steak Sandwiches-way bettter with Cheese Whiz but I couldn't do it living with The Cheese Snob; Cheesecake) and as they were leaving, they came back inside to show me this. Do you see the 2 sets of glowing eyes? That would be my camera's attempt at capturing Bambi and Son by my front porch. They come to my mom's house all the time but I haven't really seen them thisclose to my place. I went upstairs and scooped a sleepy Abbie out of bed and showed her. She opened her eyes, smiled, nodded her head, and went back to sleep. Surprisingly she actually remembered me doing that last night. So we had Bambi in the hood last night. Should I be the one to tell Bambi and family that just down the street by our chuch building I witnessed this around Thanksgiving?

I saw this I have awesome food storage so I didn't have to fuss with the store. Thanks to Ellie I am not less fat. Curses.

So my New Year's resolution of doing something I hate is going pretty well. I'm finding that if I am willing to do one hateful thing a day I am more efficient and I don't have anything really looming over me. Until this morning. I am willing to wake up early and go to the gym to get in the cardio before the kids wake up. (Hate leaving the bed and going to the cold and knowing that maybe one or all will be awake when I get home) I am unwilling to go if I have to shovel in order to get there. (We usually park in the garage but on a fluke Brad didn't park inside last night and well there ya go) I am willing to make a nutritious and healthy and warm breakfast for my kids (Mush is Mia's favorite as of late). I am unwilling to make anything if I have to first clean up the pile of fun that occurred while I was busy. (fed them granola, fruit, and milk instead) I am willing to take the garbage out to the street. I am unwilling to dig my way there. (Brad, if you're readin...

Nine Years. If I would have known it would have been such a ride I might have married you when we first met. Course getting married at 16 is so Appalachain isn't it?

I am totally back on board for Big Booty Mama. The holidays were fabulous and I ate and ate and ate and ate but I prefer the way my body feels when I take it easy. So I am on day 3 of no white stuff. Once you pull through day 2 its easy going. All that got me through it yesterday was sitting on youtube with these fellas. Enjoy. It might be my favorite one. You're so beautiful. You could be a part-time model. (But you'd probably have to still keep your normal job)

Our year started off on a delicious and fun note. For New Year's Day Breakfast I made french toast, (with fresh cream. Hello! do I have a lot of cream leftover from the holidays), maple bacon, blackberries, and fresh squeezed OJ. Since I forgot all about the Christmas Crackers we had New Year's crackers which were very disappointing (Amelia was not impressed with the cufflinks she got, and Abbie was sortof excited about the diamond-like earrings for her non-pierced ears.) Next year I will look for ghetto crackers that will have the usual trinkets like I want. (Don't we love the new plates that Brad gave me for Christmas. Food really does look better on white square plates. We watched the rose parade. (on our new TV, thank you Santa) I feel like I should mention here that the girls both got bathrobes for Christmas and wear them ALL the time. I have no idea where they learned that from. We (meaning Abbie and Brad) went sledding. Max and I watched for awhile and Amelia kept sa...