Our ginormous tree is still not decorated. We ran out of lights and had to purchase many new strands. As a result, our budget is now blown for the month and we will be feasting on nothing but beans and rice, rice and beans. (Name that Financial Guru.)
When we informed Daisy Mae that we would not be decorating the tree tonight, she fell on the ground and wailed:
“All my life! All my life, Mom! I have waited to decorate this tree ALL MY LIFE! I can’t TAKE IT anymore!”
Such drama. I wash my hands of it. I think we might decorate the tree tomorrow night. Or we might see if Daisy Mae will explode. Tough one.
The girls had a piano recital on Sunday.
Here they are, feeling confident, per usual.
My girls have uber different personalities. Sweet Pea (pink vest) gets a little more stressed out and concerned about such things. She sits and taps her legs, chews her lip, holds her sheet music tightly, and checks the program over and over to make sure she won’t miss her turn.
She gets up there and says the title of her song. The title is spoken with such speed that it cannot be understood by human ears.
Here is Sweet Pea announcing the song selection to the crowd:
Did you hear it? Did you?
I missed it.
She does well for her performance, but it kills me because I feel nervous for her . . . because I know she is nervous.
True Story: When I was a young lass, I would get quite nervous for piano recitals. My hands would be violently shaking and I would be unable to play anything. My mother resorted to giving me sedaditves before each performance.
So Sweet Pea takes after me. Poor dear.
Daisy Mae, however, likes to keep things loosie goosie. She doodles on the program and prattles on and on to her grandparents. Her loving family members have to remind her that it is time to play her song. She’s never quite sure where her music is, but she’s sure it will turn up eventually.
She played her songs out of order. When her older sister informed her of her mistake, Daisy Mae just grinned with her darling dimples and giggled:
“Oops!”
The only thing worrying Daisy Mae on Sunday was whether or not her mother would be able to give her a curly pony tail.
Nailed it.
Handsome Dude had his preschool music program tonight.
He is the four year old who looks like a seven year old and is wearing glasses.
Hold the phone! My boy! Wearing his glasses! In one piece?! That’s crazy talk.
I was getting Handsome Dude all ready for his debut tonight.
“Mom! Stop doing that to my hair! My girl (his teacher) doesn’t want me to look so handsome!”
He’s a humble guy, you know? When we got to the school, he decided to show us the ropes.
“Ok, ever-buddy! No running in the halls! No screaming in the halls! No LELL-ing (yelling) in the halls! And ever-buddy listen to teacher!”
And this has nothing to do with anything, but I want to remember it forever and so I am writing it down in this very blog that you are reading.
Handsome Dude calls scissors “Rock Paper Scissors.” Because that is obviously the simpler choice.
“Mom! Can I use Rock Paper Scissors?”
“Mom! Teacher says I have to hold my Rock Paper Scissors wee carefully.”
So precious.
***
We were all dressed and decent at the same time on Sunday, so I informed my beloved that we should take a photo for the annual Christmas card.
I’m pretty sure Handsome Dude is not grabbing his crotch. I think he is just posing.
Little Dude is probably telling me my brown hair is “icky.” Because he is pleasant like that.
Little Dude. “How YOU doin’?”
Handsome Dude. He’s wondering how much longer these pictures are going to take and he’s pretty sure that if he looks really far ahead of him, he can see the end.
No. I didn’t try to correct him. Just like I don’t correct him every morning when he steps on the scale and asks me if he is still four.
You must choose your battles wisely, folks.
No! He’s not grabbing his crotch!
Sweet Pea has kept the same sassy leg pose the whole time. FYI.
David! He’s totes putting out the vibe.
And THAT dear readers, is the picture that will make it onto our Christmas card.
For it will do. Yes. It will do.
Goodnight.
I love the rock,paper, scissors! So cute! My niece used to call them snissors and we kept it going until first grade when apparently she got too old for such nonsense and we miss it terribly!! I’m sure you cared. Anyhew, love the fam pic. It’s a keeper!
Christmas card picture taking makes me cry. The end.
I am giggling so much the dog keeps waking up and looking at me….you complete me, Mrs LJ. In a very non- creepy sort of way 😉
this is why I don’t try to take christmas card photos! very funny!
My nephew Charlie called horses hoeys when he was 2. We still say it occasionally, he will be 20 at the end of the month, sigh lol. Hard to let those childhood years go.
Oh my word your girls are so much like mine : ) Your family photo (and family) is lovely…you’ll be glad you wrote those words down.
Christmas card pictures make me curl up into a fetal position until about New Year’s. I dread doing them every.single.year. But then I am always glad I have them to look back on.
Good job writing down all that cute stuff. There are so many things I can’t remember now. *sigh* Alas, time goes too quickly and they grow up, and I grow old and I can’t even remember why I walked into the bedroom for the third time!
Dave Ramsey reminds us often that to pay off debt and live like no one else we must sometimes eat rice and beans!
And my 3 1/2 year old steps on the scale every. single. day. and asks if he is still five. I tell him he weighs 40 lbs and he says, “Yep, I still 5 years old.” I cannot convince his little heart that he is really only 3 1/2, or that scales do not tell his age.
Christmas card pictures make me crazy. Because you know it is going to take 30 minutes and 500 digital images to get that one picture where most everybody is looking at the camera and a few people are smiling and no one is crying.
Found myself here via Sharyl’s fb post and enjoyed each and every word. So clever and just love the xmas card shots!
Financial guru: Dave Ramsey
For the record: I have almost complete forgotten your children’s factual names
Christmas card photo: awesome
Kindred spirits: Daisy Mae and myself – I’m also wee unorganized/unconcerned about things and am certain it’ll all just work out in the end!!
hahah fabulous Christmas card pic! i have def. seen worse!
Taylor, your family is so cute that you could ALL grab your crotches and it would be a great shot.
Okay, well maybe not grab your crotches, but you know what I mean.
oh, you made my day!
I love the stories. and the pictures.
🙂
Oh, funny! (like always!)
LOVE the story about stepping on the scale and asking if he’s still 4!!
(I’m scared to think how old I’d be if I went by the # on the scale!!)
Love the photo, everyone looking in the same direction and no tears… that is success!
If scales told our age, I’d be Methuseluh. Since ever buddy is present and accounted for, who took the picture?