tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-358894292024-03-13T10:58:56.215-05:00The Silly Witch ChroniclesDo you believe in magic? Featuring: The Silly Witch, The Warlock, Pippi, Bardo, and BooThe Silly Witchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00403440208720272415noreply@blogger.comBlogger610125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35889429.post-35001308195444607122015-09-21T23:22:00.002-05:002015-09-21T23:22:23.272-05:00I love this blog...I love this blog. It makes me so happy. I started it about a year after Stacy died, and it really helped me cope. Some of the pictures are so beautiful they make me cry. I have such a sweet life. Lately, I feel like I'm not treasuring my life nearly enough.<br />
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Tonight I discovered that Boo really hates wearing her Daisy vest. I also discovered that she is pretty good at math facts. We are reading <i>On the Banks of Plum Creek</i> together right now, and she is delighted by it.<br />
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Bardo is hilarious. He sat and giggled as he read out-loud a health quiz that I got from the gym over dinner. Maybe a medical career is in his future if he can get that laughter under control. He's quite the book worm lately. I thought Pippi loved to read. Well Bardo never wants to stop reading. He walks home from school with a nose in a book. He probably reads at least one book every day. Granted, that the majority of the books he read are from the <i>Diary of a Wimpy Kid</i> series or somehow related to <i>Captain Underpants</i>, but today he was pretty stoked about the biography of Milton Hershey and requested that we go to the Hershey factory this summer for our family vacation. Bardo's got it all planned out. He says we can even stop by the Liberty Bell.<br />
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Pippi is a busy, delightful, busy, crazy, busy and did I mention busy teenager. I didn't anticipate how her high school career with it's early mornings and late night would affect my sleep schedule. She made drum line, as a Freshman, and we are oh so proud of her. She's also on a competetive soccer team that plays out of Rush soccer program in the Woodlands.<br />
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And guess who started school?! MEMEMEMEME! I love it. I feel like my brain has been shaken awake. I really love study and getting good grades. I'm attending University of Houston's post-baccalaureate teacher certification program. I'm excited and scared to be a teacher. But, so far, everything is going quite well.The Silly Witchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00403440208720272415noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35889429.post-4281528858692176482014-11-07T23:22:00.000-06:002015-09-21T23:24:03.848-05:00Cramped Spaces<div style="text-align: center;">
This will be fun. I'm so grateful for clean, running water. Oh look! I can clean this kitchen in 15 short minutes.</div>
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We are well into our 2014 Home Life Disruption Project. We sold our Quiet Summer Ln home earlier this fall, after signing a contract to build a Ryland home in Summerwood. It's the Vivace floor plan, complete with a guest room, extra garage and a launch pad for Rebecca's drum set that we really hope she'll start using. We drive by everyday to check on the progress. I have so much respect for the craftsmen that are putting our home together, bit by beautiful bit.<br />
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Breakfast every morning in our apt. is like an episode of Cutthroat Kitchen. We can squeeze 4 people into our kitchen, but it's tricky. I'm afraid times like these reveal my uglier side. We're watching record amounts of TV. We used to have a shoe shelf. Now we have a shoe/backpack/coat pile. It's glorious.<br />
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Luckily we have friends. We have friends dogsitting. Another friend's catsitting. And another friend loaned us her digital piano when we discovered that our upright would definitely not make our home life better. So Quinn continues his piano study. It's something he can do while he recovers from his broken arm, which he obtained while walking and then tripping and then catching himself. And then of course, we needed a piano sitter, a service provided by yet another friend.<br />
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So you're having a hard time, you ask? I guess.The Silly Witchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00403440208720272415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35889429.post-13368238997354112402013-12-06T21:53:00.004-06:002013-12-07T20:45:01.208-06:00My Butt<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This year I've had my rear end photographed at least a dozen times. Never again will parents be allowed to take pictures from the coach's side. Never again. However, I look at this picture and I think the argument could be made that my rear is indeed my better side. What do you think?The Silly Witchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00403440208720272415noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35889429.post-70928402878282261562013-11-05T14:25:00.000-06:002013-11-05T14:25:39.295-06:00Days 3, 4, 5I'm grateful for Nick. He is so thoughtful and generous. He carries so many burdens so that I don't have to. He's amazing.<br />
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I'm grateful that Daphne was hugging my leg happily instead of crying in Target today.<br />
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I'm grateful Quinn rode his bike to school today.<br />
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I'd be even more grateful if I had more time to write. Everything feels abbreviated because I have to do it so fast.The Silly Witchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00403440208720272415noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35889429.post-55978949236386453072013-11-02T08:18:00.001-05:002013-11-02T08:18:15.313-05:00Gratitude Days One and TwoI'm grateful for soccer. I love the way it gets us out of bed in the morning on a Saturday. It keeps us outside 3 out of 5 nights a week. It makes little girls laugh. It feels good to little boys to run run run run run run and the running is only made more fun by the focus on a ball.<div>
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I'm grateful we have finally successfully nuked Quinn's sinus infection. He woke up today, the first time in weeks, with no headache.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The Silly Witchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00403440208720272415noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35889429.post-74253991372750789502013-10-31T23:48:00.001-05:002013-10-31T23:48:33.478-05:00Homemade Costume Part 3: Grim Reaper<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />The Silly Witchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00403440208720272415noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35889429.post-15717888412039704162013-10-31T23:46:00.004-05:002013-10-31T23:46:41.971-05:00Homemade Costumes Part 2: Nymphadora Tonks<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />The Silly Witchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00403440208720272415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35889429.post-68003506979552330352013-10-31T23:43:00.001-05:002013-10-31T23:43:15.618-05:00My Harry Potter<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />The Silly Witchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00403440208720272415noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35889429.post-14531727947478846222013-10-31T16:19:00.001-05:002013-10-31T16:19:28.024-05:00Homeade Halloween Part One: Rapunzel<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The trick to Halloweek sewing is to let go of perfectionism and to just enjoy the journey. I feel kind of sad that this was the first year I attempted any homeade costumes. It would've been good to practice my sewing skills once each year. The dress and the braid were sewn from the Simplicity Rapunzel pattern.</div>
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<br />The Silly Witchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00403440208720272415noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35889429.post-60004635288869222662013-10-30T22:09:00.002-05:002013-10-30T22:52:14.680-05:00Daphne Reads, Quinn obeys, and Rebecca is her lovely selfToday Daphne read a little book for me for the first time. She read with confidence, her voice bold and strong.<br />
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Quinn did his homework after I asked him just one time today. Amazing. Truly Amazing.<br />
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Rebecca went to young women's. This was her third time going to mutual and her first time with a combined activity with Fall Creek Ward. She plopped herself with the sewing service project in the middle of the other ward. I love that I can watch her. Over the past year I've watched most of the young women really hesitant to socialize with the girls outside our ward. And there was Rebecca, completely at ease with...everyone. She is amazingThe Silly Witchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00403440208720272415noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35889429.post-18600507424268617222013-10-29T22:32:00.000-05:002013-10-31T16:10:19.415-05:00The BEST Halloween Party EverLast night I dress up Daphne in an old too-short Snow White costume and Quinn donned last year's Ninja costume and headed to the soccer fields. Texas Heatwave Soccer was throwing a party, a soccer party. They divided the big fields into several segments, divided the kids into random 4 person teams, and threw a ball in the field and let them have at it. Daphne wasn't quite old enough though she did play one round with the 6 and 7 year olds. She even scored a goal, but it was hard. Quinn was put on a team with a boy that, as it turns out, lives 3 door down from us. And he has a 4 year old little sister. Hooray! New Friends!<br />
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Obligatory candy was distributed, but mostly the night was about playing soccer--in a costume.<br />
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The Silly Witchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00403440208720272415noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35889429.post-56887944618785939542013-10-27T21:48:00.002-05:002013-10-27T21:48:23.029-05:00Wanted: A Life PhotographerI'm failing at the picture taking. I even left the camera on the kitchen counter this week. Did I snap even one shot? No.<br />
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This week has been eventful. All of the children now have their Halloween costumes ready to go. I decided to pretend like I was a seamstress by profession and had hired help to take over the housekeeping. I sewed (drum roll please) a rapunzel dress for Daphne, and I promise that I will post pictures soon.<br />
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Quinn has a sinus infection. I guess that explains the bad attitude about going to school and intolerance to music. On Wednesday he threw his bike to the ground halfway to school and refused to go to the rest of the way to school. I had to run back home, grab the car and pick him up. I took him to school, and then I went home and called the doctor. She put him on an antibiotic and he got to stay home from school for 2 days. He actually did quite a bit of homework at home. He's doing much better now that his infection is subsiding.<br />
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So maybe I don't want a life photographer for this week, come to think of it. The house was messy, children were cranky and sick. So next week I will take pictures. Next week.The Silly Witchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00403440208720272415noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35889429.post-73933595913076116212013-10-06T22:06:00.003-05:002013-10-06T22:06:19.127-05:00Quinn started piano this week.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We've been waking up to his experiments for months now. I finally talked him into starting lessons with our friend who's 11 years of age. Should be fun!The Silly Witchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00403440208720272415noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35889429.post-13339328608262490612013-10-06T22:02:00.000-05:002013-10-06T22:02:05.856-05:00Rebecca<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />The Silly Witchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00403440208720272415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35889429.post-74316234635869654272013-10-06T21:14:00.000-05:002013-10-06T21:18:42.303-05:00Daphne<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Daphne is rapidly approaching 5 years old now. She is so pleasant to be around. I just love her. She loves "homework" and sits down with Quinn each afternoon while he is doing his homework. When I asked Quinn if he wanted to take piano lessons from a family friend, she jumped up and said she was ready, too. She's overcome much of her shyness, and when I was jogging at the dog park she walked around socializing with all the dogs and adults like they were her best friends. I can always count on her to make a new friend wherever we go. I can also count on her to remove her shoes and take the hair tie out of her hair.<br />
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She's playing soccer again this year and doing much better than last year. She still tends to be naughty while I'm trying to coach the team. We need some loving fatherly attention on the bench I think while she learns to behave appropriately. Hint. Hint. She also doesn't feel like she's good enough to score a goal, but I know she is with all my heart and I'm hoping she'll find that within herself. But if not, she's learning to dance. And she can sing. And she loves her bike. So she's gonna be ok. <br />
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The Silly Witchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00403440208720272415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35889429.post-8126746478582786142013-08-06T15:25:00.001-05:002013-08-06T15:25:24.047-05:00<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"> "Every run has challenges," the Sakyong says. "The challenge is to be brave, not trying to escape boredom or discomfort, but relaxing with how things are."</span>The Silly Witchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00403440208720272415noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35889429.post-80689926655390431992013-04-10T08:23:00.003-05:002013-04-10T08:23:55.697-05:00Just the Way Daphne Likes to Start the Day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />The Silly Witchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00403440208720272415noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35889429.post-30213507995861393912013-04-08T22:45:00.002-05:002013-04-08T22:45:53.010-05:00Two Girls, One Tricycle, No Problem<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />The Silly Witchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00403440208720272415noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35889429.post-42175172349112435202013-04-08T22:18:00.000-05:002013-04-08T22:18:56.150-05:00Old Phone Pictures: Abundant Rays of Sunshine<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />The Silly Witchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00403440208720272415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35889429.post-31211800860100776172013-03-31T23:57:00.002-05:002013-03-31T23:57:33.766-05:00Happy Easter<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />The Silly Witchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00403440208720272415noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35889429.post-46687227727974568942013-03-27T01:12:00.002-05:002013-03-27T01:12:45.402-05:00The Way it Works at Our HouseOn Sundays, after church, we get in our jammies. It's just the way we roll. We have simple meals, sometimes no dinner at all, since we always eat a late lunch. Nick and I sometimes retire to our room for a nap. And the kids, they pull out their sleeping bags, and have a campout. Sometimes it's under the trampoline. Sometimes it's under the dining room table, and sometimes it's in a fort they've created upstairs. They've been doing this for several months now. This week it was the trampoline. While the Warlock and I were napping, Grandma and Pa snuck into the backyard and had an Easter Egg Hunt with the kids. Quinn was so excited to find a dollar in one of the eggs. This week he spent it on a mustache lollipop at the school store.<br />
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Around 5:00 pm after they had cleaned up their sleeping bags, they still weren't quite done playing. They pulled out the parachute. Quinn, as his head hit the pillow, said, "When Becca goes to college, I'm really gonna miss her."<br />
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Me too, Quinn, but sheesh, we still get to have her for more than 6 more years.</div>
The Silly Witchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00403440208720272415noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35889429.post-10540769703855050882013-03-17T22:06:00.001-05:002013-03-17T22:06:47.528-05:00Hiking the Peach Creek Trail with the Kiddos<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mud makes her happy.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aaC4ywQuE7Q/UUaASGBsXlI/AAAAAAAADAc/SuUzaHhzXBk/s1600/donttakemypicture.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aaC4ywQuE7Q/UUaASGBsXlI/AAAAAAAADAc/SuUzaHhzXBk/s640/donttakemypicture.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Daphne's eyes are beautiful, but she doesn't want me to capture them and ruined the picture by attempting to place her hand over the lens.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Camera adverse. Too bad, Grumplestiltskin.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mud cookies</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--qUsrhccjvk/UUaAWstiQjI/AAAAAAAADBo/lz2e2-K3B7w/s1600/shell+collection.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--qUsrhccjvk/UUaAWstiQjI/AAAAAAAADBo/lz2e2-K3B7w/s640/shell+collection.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shells, anyone?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4xZwNXPj618/UUaAW9dzfdI/AAAAAAAADBs/_jM9kjB8ym8/s1600/specimen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4xZwNXPj618/UUaAW9dzfdI/AAAAAAAADBs/_jM9kjB8ym8/s640/specimen.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I like this boy. He makes me smile. Even when he says he hates school like he's doing right now as I type this. He's also telling me the 3 different ways that "dumb people" smoke: cigarette, pipe, and cigar.</td></tr>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qZTxkIqlCf8/UUaAYT4HsgI/AAAAAAAADCA/aPclF46vY_A/s1600/walkingd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qZTxkIqlCf8/UUaAYT4HsgI/AAAAAAAADCA/aPclF46vY_A/s640/walkingd.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gYU8EeX6XbY/UUaAYZkb03I/AAAAAAAADCE/jk42ueC9TvI/s1600/water+walking.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gYU8EeX6XbY/UUaAYZkb03I/AAAAAAAADCE/jk42ueC9TvI/s640/water+walking.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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I needed to scout out Peach Creek for the YW hike. I planned this trip while I was in Lubbock. Then I arrived home and felt like I should stay home and clean up my pig sty of a house. But the children had Peach Creek on the brain, and I did not have the heart to tell them that we were going to do laundry all day the last day of spring break, so we cleaned for awhile and then left while the washer and dryer did their part of the laundry. Quinn and Rebecca are great hikers. My shoulders are strong enough to carry Daphne, so I carried her the last mile. But she was a pretty good hiker for a four-year old in fancy shoes. In all, we hiked 2.5 miles on flat terrain. Stopping to play in the water took the bulk of our time. Quinn and Rebecca did pretty well staying dry, but Daphne was soaked. I knew she would be, so I was prepared with dry clothes for the walk back to our car. (Go me.) The rest of us arrived at the restaurant with sand on our pants.The Silly Witchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00403440208720272415noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35889429.post-65884459615655873492013-03-17T21:30:00.000-05:002013-03-17T21:33:50.823-05:00LubbockThe kids and I spent spring break in Lubbock. The kids were so excited for this trip that they were packed and sitting out in the car hours before I was ready. Daphne, Quinn, and Rebecca loved playing with Sidni, Elodie, Aaron, and Natalie. Soccer was THE game of the hour while we were there. We played both Tuesday and Wednesday nights. We even went cleat shopping there. <br />
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Aaron and Sidni think that their Dad's work is the best; "Does your Dad give away stuff at his office?" they queried. No, the Warlock's job just isn't that cool. </div>
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We checked out Texas Tech. It's massive and has a pretty sweet athletic facility with a nice swimming complex that includes a lazy river. Julie also gave us a tour of Lubbock one evening while we waited for a couple of our little girls to crash in the car. I look forward to seeing pictures of it when the cotton is going strong. <br />
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Julie and I pulled out her homogenizer in an effort to make almond butter. It really just made almond flour, but it was delicious after we mixed it with honey and tofu and maple syrup.</div>
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Julie's home is very beautiful. She's arranged her furniture nicely in the big great room in her house. Sidni entertained us all with a very interesting family home evening lesson using the gospel art picture kit. She doesn't like it when people raise their hands. It was very amusing to watch all of the children pretend to be reverent so that Sidni would call on them to have a turn at her made-up game.</div>
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Julie served <a href="http://sillywitchrecipes.blogspot.com/search?q=spinach+orzo" target="_blank">Spinach Orzo Salad</a> and <a href="http://sillywitchrecipes.blogspot.com/2011/07/thai-peanut-noodles.html" target="_blank">Thai Peanut Noodles</a> for meals. She is amazing with her super fast meal preparation skills!</div>
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I was sad to leave my sister but so very happy to get back to my Warlock. I miss him when we are apart.<br />
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We took no pictures of our entire trip. Whoops. But here is a cute picture of Elodie from our Museum of Natural History visit during Christmas break.</div>
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The Silly Witchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00403440208720272415noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35889429.post-9365287353535541552013-02-11T22:52:00.000-06:002013-02-11T22:52:08.693-06:00Dancing Around Towers of LaundrySo I started out the morning pushing kids out the rainy door. Rebecca has commandeered my vast blue poncho and covered herself and her back pack and her purse and her stick (drum sticks) bag with said poncho. I passed her at the bus stop while driving Quinn to school and told her she could wait under the eaves of our neighbor's house like the other kids, but she shook her head, "I'm good." She said she nearly had a crisis today when her friend Justin <i>almost</i> kicked her poncho into the boys bathroom when it fell off of her backpack. Oh the horror! Not the boys bathroom.<br />
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I'm still trying to figure out Quinn's system for dressing himself in the morning. I think he looks out the window and decides to dress himself the opposite of weather appropriate. He was thrilled with the rain, though, and spent the rest of the day talking about the two minutes of hail that we had this morning. Daphne enjoyed tasting the hail. "It tasted just like the ice from our freezer!" I wonder if she was expecting lemon ice?<br />
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Daphne just makes me laugh so much lately. Her imagination has always been incredible, allowing her to play for hours by herself unless hungry and tired (her preferred food is oatmeal with honey), but now that she's four, the girl has really kicked it into high gear. She pulled out all her shoes and dressed them in barrettes and bracelets and put them in a row. When I told her to put her shoes away, she was not a happy camper. "They are not shoes, they are people!" What is my problem? But, because she is a four-year-old and not a three-year-old, she put one pair of her shoes on her feet so we could hurry to the gym for my barbell class. The rest remained dressed up, in a row until well after lunch.<br />
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After school Quinn and I were discussing his future and I asked him if he thought he would be ready for piano lessons next year. He replied with an exuberant "Yes!" I was so excited. And then he said, "I want Rebecca to be my teacher." I wonder if Rebecca could teach him. Do you think I'd have to pay her?<br />
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Nick figured out a way to get himself a triathlon bike. He's open to name suggestions. I get Lola (his road bike). There are a few advantages to being tall, bike sharing privileges are among them.<br />
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During dinner prep, Rebecca blasted <i>Touch the Sky</i>, got into her recital outfit and practiced her heart out. The laundry was folded and stacked all over the counter and Rebecca just danced. Quinn and Daphne watched her, carefully mimicking her every move. <br />
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The Silly Witchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00403440208720272415noreply@blogger.com5