This is the Day, that the Lord has made

I had such an amazing day.

We started with rushing off to get to my nephew's soccer game, which was awesome. I loved watching my little man run around, calling "over here!" to his team-mates, and even scoring a goal!

We then went to the pumpkin patch with my Sister in Law, Brother in Law, and 2 of my nephews. The kids ran around and played, and enjoyed each others company.

The game was in Norco, so I told Serena she could bring one of her news books for the long car ride. ( We bought her a 3 pack of Junie B. First Grader books at her school's book fair this week, and I told her that when she finished all 3 we'd take her to Chuck E Cheese). It's a beginners chapter book, so it still has some pictures, but it is a lot of writing. She loves them. She read quietly to herself in the car ride there and the car ride home and then announced as we neared home "I'm done." Yeah she finished a chapter book in the car. That's my girl.

We then went on a hunt for a Halloween costume for Brian, going all over town. After finally having found a costume, we were starving for lunch, and headed to Burger King. We asked the girls what they wanted, then Chloe proceeded to give us pretend chicken. She gave some to me and I ate it, she gave some to Brian and he ate it. Well, Serena decided to take some of this pretend chicken out of Chloe's hand, and Chloe BURST into tears, "See-yah took my chicken!" Did I mention it was pretend, and non-existent? So what are Chloe's loving and thoughtful parents doing...laughing. Who cries over PRETEND chicken?? So then we say, jokingly "Geez Serena, give her the chicken back!" Serena puts the pretend chicken (i.e AIR) back into Chloe's hand and she then cries louder "That's not my chicken!". So now I am hysterically laughing and unable to keep it from Chloe seeing me. I can't help it. She is literally crying over air.

After we finish lunch, we get home, settle down, Brian gets ready to go to a poker game, and I look for Serena's old Minnie Mouse costume to use for Chloe's Halloween costume. I pulled out the bags and had a good cry over Serena's size 3 clothes, which I completely remember her having, and wearing, and where she wore them too. She's 7 1/2, and I still remember every single size 3t outfit, and how she looked in it. I think I have a problem, especially when I cry over it. But sigh, she keeps growing, even with how excited I was over her finishing a chapter book in the car, I still cried over her not being 3 anymore.

But, it was a good day, tears and all.

"Daddy went roller skating. He said WEEEE"

That's Chloe's synopsis of our family day last Saturday.

We decided to take the kids roller skating. Serena had been skating a few times, I used to go there all the time back in the day, Brian was into roller hockey and quite a fast skater, and well Chloe is Chloe and is adventurous at heart. Sounded perfect.

We got there and Chloe insisted that I get her skates on fast and then she kept trying to drag me onto the rink. Who cares about getting my own skates on, she was ready! Brian and I had to split up the kids, after all holding up two wobbly legged kids is no easy feat, especially when you are on wheels yourself. I wanted to take off and go fast like I used to, but my kids had other ideas. When I finally got the chance to make a fast break, I realized I am no longer 18, and not as sure footed as I used to be. BUT I did pretty well considering the last time I skated was a decade prior. Brian was still a natural, but athletics are his thing, and I was not suprised...in the least bit.

After about 30 minutes of skating, Chloe was done with a capital D, and Serena followed shortly there after. Even though we paid for 3 hours, and only were there about 1 hour, we still had a great time.

Here are the pictures to prove it!

Life Lesson

Serena "tried out" for the part of Mary yesterday for our church's Christmas pageant. That means she got on stage, and said her line " I am the Lord's servant. May it be to me as you have said." She did good, in the fact that she got up there and said it. But the poor thing was so nervous her voice was quiet and she spoke slowly and had to try hard to remember the line she knew perfectly well. Then later on, as there was no one in the audience, she was on stage playing and she was loud and dramatic and everything I know her to be. I am hoping as time goes on this is something she can transfer from in front of small groups to the stage. I know she'd LOVE to be in plays when she is old enough for school productions, if only she'd dive in. But anyway back to the pageant

I was on the decision committee, and I was determined not to be the pushy mom who tells Emily what part my child will have. I mean honestly, who ever thinks that this is appropriate? What if we let every parent decide where there kid went? We'd end up with 50 Josephs and 50 Mary's...maybe an angel or 2. It's not only wrong, and unrealistic, it's teaching your kids a bad lesson. A lesson that they always deserve to get their way, and that they always will get their way. What a hard slap in the face reality will be when they grow up and don't get their way in life. How on earth will they handle it if they never learned the lesson with small things, like Christmas pageant's as a child??

OK, so many tangents, back to my story. So we decide all the parts, except Mary. I told Emily, it would be unfair for me to decide that part and to leave me out, but when it came down to it, I thought another kid should get the part. I know. I know. What Mom votes against their kid? Well, I did. She did so good, but someone else did better, and so she deserved the part, not Serena.

So Serena is an angel, that was her second choice. When I told her, she was sad, but who wouldn't be? It's no fun being let down. She said "So I did that for nothing?" To which we were able to have a great talk about you don't always win, or get the part, but that it's okay. Just trying out, and getting on stage in spite of being afraid was an amazing thing, in fact that was more important than getting the part. She seemed okay with it, sad, but okay. She then asked me who got the part, and I wouldn't tell her. The email hasn't gone out yet to all the moms, so I kept my lips sealed. I also didn't want her to focus her sadness on the other girl, which would be tempting with the news so fresh.

She was still sad, until I told her that as an angel, we could curl her hair. That's all she needed to hear. All was well.

Maybe as we get into the pageant more she'll still be sad. Maybe she'll be just fine, but either way she'll learn. That's more important than getting the role. And who knows, maybe she'll try it again next year?

Oh say can she sing...well recite

Sorry about the sideways view..I thought I corrected that on my computer...apparently not.

Out of the mouth of Chloe

I am in awe of my almost 3 year old. She says new and exciting things everyday. I love it.

Her phrase of the moment is "another more." She combines "another one" and "one more." It's always "Can I have another more?" or 'Do you want another more?"

She also has got imitating me down pat. I often learn what I say frequently by what she says. I already figured out that I throw the word "so" in front of too many things, and that I say "awesome" far too often. But yesterday I got an earful of how I parent.

Serena was having a day where everything seemed to upset her, and at one point went into another room because she was mad at Daddy for telling her to watch how she spoke to me. I know, how dare he, right??

Chloe doesn't like when "See-yah" is mad or sad, so she went in to talk to her sister. This is what I heard "I know you upset See-yah." She said it to her a few times. Then I realized that is always how I start talking to either of them "I know you're upset Serena, but it's not okay to_________when you're mad." or
"I know you're upset Chloe, but it's not ok to ___________ because you're mad at Mommy"

I guess no matter how much it feels otherwise, they really do listen to what I say.