Dads' Doughnut Day

Yesterday was Dads' Doughnut Day at C's school.

A few weeks back, each 1st Grader invited his/her dad to school for the morning and then worked to earn $3.00 to "treat" Dad to a doughnut and coffee.  Their teachers helped them write essays about Dad that they shared with the class and the dads. 

Here's C's...it might be my favorite of all his creations :)

The trip that he's referring to is one that we took over FOUR YEARS AGO! 

Not long after G was born J and I decided we wanted to do a little something special for C.  J took the day off and we went to a really neat county park about an hour from the house.  

It was a fun day! :)

Leaves Through The Years

One of the reasons we bought this house is because the yard is FULL of mature trees like this one...

Sooo it stands to reason that we spend a fair amount of time every year tending to leaves...lots and LOTS of leaves :)  Thankfully, it isn't all toil and drudgery.  C and G make it fun for all four of us :)

As I was looking at these pictures that J took on Saturday, I was reminded of  other pictures we'd over the years of this same Leaf-Raking Event :)

Some years were decidedly less joy filled (C at 10 months old)...

His grumpy disposition toward leaves didn't stick though (C at 20 months old)

Some were REALLY sweet :) (C at 32 months and G at 7 months)

Unfortunately, we don't have pictures to represent every year...it was still a fun little trip down memory lane none-the-less :)  These old pictures make me a little sentimental.  But then I remember one VERY important detail and am brought right back to an appreciation for today...the older they get the more they can actually HELP us with all these BLASTED leaves :)

Confession or Damage Control Strategy???

Funny conversation from supper last night:

Me:  [to J] End of Quarter Parent/Teacher Conferences for C's class are this week.  Mine is scheduled for Wednesday afternoon.

C:  What are conferences?

J: [joking] That's when Mommy talks to your teacher and finds out how much trouble you've been getting into at school.

G: [quickly responds/interrupts] C doesn't EVA ("ever" in G speak...the girl has a KILLER accent :) get into trouble at school!

C:  WEEEEEELLLL G, I wouldn't exactly say THAT....

[J and I exchange glances across the table and try not to laugh]

Since last night, I keep coming back to two rather amusing thoughts...

#1 - I'm not sure if I should be proud for his honesty OR worried that he's preemptively setting the bar low in preparation for my conference...guess I'll find out Wednesday :)

#2 - When a Teacher's Pet and a Classroom Trouble Maker fall in love, get married, and have a baby I suppose it should not be a surprise that said baby would be a semi-troublemaker with a sensitive conscious...poor kid! :)

Halloween 2012

Introducing C as Snake Eyes from GI Joe and G as a Cowgirl.

G has been asking to be a Cowgirl ever since C was a Cowboy last year.  C's selection of Snake Eyes is a result of J, C, and G watching old GI Joe episodes on Netfl*x.  I think J was pleased to have an "old-school" character represented :)

They were both super excited about their costumes!  Between G wanting to "lasso" C and C jumping around like a Ninja, taking pictures was a bit of a challenge :)