Stuff

Riley had a tooth that was really disgusting.  Just hanging on by a thread.  Todd tried to pull it, but she wouldn't open up.  She eventually went in the bathroom and yanked it herself.  I don't know what it is, but I am really sickened by loose teeth and pulling teeth.  It makes me gag just thinking about it.

Macie also lost her first tooth a week ago.  She is hilarious.  It was really wiggly, but there was no way she was going to let Todd touch it.  Apparently, at lunch on Thursday she took one bite of pizza and began crying.  Poor girl.  She said it just hurt too bad.  Her teacher helped her out by cutting her pizza, and I vowed to make her a "soft" lunch the next day.  Friday morning she woke up and showed me how loose it was.  I told her to go in and have Dad look at it (since I was gagging at the thought).  She showed Todd but quickly turned away averting any help.  She took one step and the tooth fell out in her mouth and she spit it on the floor.  Yea!  We all cheered and showed our excitement.  Immediately Macie explained that there was no way the tooth fairy was going to come in her room at night!  She was horrified!  Of the tooth fairy!  She DID NOT want some strange fairy person sneaking in her room.  It was too funny.  Todd put the tooth on our dresser, where it was quickly lost.  At bedtime I am still reassuring her that the tooth fairy will not come unless you want her to. 

Charlotte has always been clingy.  Even at night, when I go to a Relief Society activity or something, she sobs and cries and has to be pried from my leg so I can get out the door.  I had asked her this summer about going to preschool and she was not interested.  Well, apparently after a long month home with just me and Carver, she changed her mind.  After one particularly long day of whining and complaining I asked her, "Charlotte, do you want to go to preschool?"   "Yes.  Right now.  Today," was her reply.  I called the good old Church of Christ preschool that Macie went to, and we enrolled the next day.  She didn't even look back when I dropped her off. 

Riley continues with cross country.  After the good showing I posted about, last week things weren't quite as impressive.  Last week she ran with her BFF, Haley.  As I stood on the side of the course I waited.  And waited.  Soon little kindergartners were walking by.  Still, no Riley and Haley.  They eventually drug their feet to where I was standing, where they stopped and walked.  Riley grabbed her side.  I told Haley she didn't have to stop and wait for Riley and I could immediately tell by the look on her face that she was completely torn.  Run?  Stay with my friend?  She just didn't know what to do.  Of course they stayed together and eventually crossed the finish line around 8 minutes. 

Some Macie quotes:,

At bedtime she asked Todd to remind me to make her a lunch. 
Todd, "I'll remind her."
Macie, "No. You'll forget.  Daddy's forget everything because they are old and big."

While reading scriptures we stopped and asked her if she knew who the Messiah was.  "Dad, I'm just a kid.  I'm five and I don't even know what you are talking about."

Todd recently took the girls to daddy-daughter night at Chick-Fill-A.  I just saw it on their marquee and thought it sounded fun.  They were greeted by the cow and a man in a tux, they got to go in a horse drawn carriage ride around the block, they had roses on their table, they took pictures, and they got a little goodie bag.  It was really fun!

And, lastly, we have some excellent missionaries serving in Owensboro right now.  Our last set were excellent teachers, but they just didn't have the personality and enthusiasm that these elders have.  We continue the tradition of having them over for dinner and FHE every week, but it is much more exciting now.  Elder Daynes (not in this picture) is so funny.  He tells me over and over and over how wonderful my cooking is and says thank you a million times.  It is just funny because he is so genuine.  Who would have known Hawaiian haystacks could be so fabulous?  Homemade ice cream?  To die for.  Jello?  You've got to be kidding me!!
Elder Norton (in the picture) is on his way back to Arizona today.  We will miss him, but we hear that the new missionary is an all-star as well.



Cross Country

Riley is running cross country with her school this year.  What that entails is one practice, purchasing a t-shirt and showing up to the four weekly races that they hold.  Macie also ran in the first race, but decided to sit this one out. 
It has been pretty fun.  The course is 3/4 of a mile.  There are four or five elementary schools that participate.  Riley runs with the K-2nd grade group.  At the meet yesterday there were 160 runners.  The first race was pretty experimental.  This time, she had a much better understanding of the distance and what was going on.  When she finished she said, "I am pretty sure I ran much faster this time!"
I have no idea how fast she ran the first race, but we clocked her yesterday at 6:34.

Zoo at the Zoo

We drove to Louisville (about an hour and forty-five minutes) Sunday afternoon, planning to go to the Louisville Zoo  on Monday.  Well, it turned out to be the Labor Union Worker's Picnic at the Zoo.  It was a zoo!  THOUSANDS of extra people!  It was still fun, but it just made me think negative thoughts about unions.  Anyway, some pictures:

          It was 102 on Saturday, then a cold front moved in and the high on Monday was 68.  We hit up
                        the  Louisville Goodwill for jackets since we were not prepared for the chills.

                                                         A mommy and a baby giraffe.

Stinky rhinos.

            

 This picture is more for documenting Carver's curly hair, less for documenting the elephants.

Lunchables. Sometimes kids are so easy to please.

 We got to go in with the Kangaroos.  They jumped everywhere and about gave Mace and Charlotte heart attacks.  It was more than entertaining for all of us! 

Carver loves to honk noses.

Finally, after over six hours, we were ready to head home. 

It was an excellent day!

Hard at Work

Carv loves banging on the computer.  He manages to do the craziest things.  Yesterday he made the entire screen go upside down and the mouse only worked backwards and upside down.

He is all boy. 

He is climbing on everything and getting into everything. 

He can wiggle and squirm his way out of his high chair buckle.  

He likes to throw his food, and some days he will only eat Cheetos.

If he finds a crayon or marker he immediately writes on the walls.

He refuses to sit down in the tub,

And when he gets angry or frustrated he loves to bite and throw things at the offender. 

But we still love him.   Lots.