The Mommy Survey

The Facebook meme that Andria posted and I couldn't resist: I surveyed Ella to find out about myself.

1. What is something mom always says to you? Ella, I love you

2. What makes mom happy? me asking you to read me books

3. What makes mom sad? let's see... when I ignore you

4. How does your mom make you laugh? by tickling me

5. What was your mom like as a child? you had long hair

6. How old is your mom? can you give me a hint? My pick is... 55

7. How tall is your mom? my pick is 11"

8. What is her favorite thing to do? Your favorite thing to do is... sit down and watch TV with me

9. What does your mom do when you're not around? clean up (so astute!)

10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for? dress up like Ariel

11. What is your mom really good at? organizing stuff

12. What is your mom not very good at? fixing things

13. What does your mom do for her job? you, well, work

14. What is your mom's favorite food? shepherds pie and bierocks

15. What makes you proud of your mom? getting the TV right to set up a movie (last weekend I fought and fought with the DVD player to get it hooked up right with the satellite receiver, but I finally got it! I was pretty proud of myself for that one!)

16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be? Sleeping Beauty

17. What do you and your mom do together? What we do together is that... I don't know. I just have no idea.

18. How are you and your mom the same? we both have the same color hair

19. How are you and your mom different? we don't have the same things (I ask for clarification) panties

20. How do you know your mom loves you? because you hug me a bunch

22. Where is your mom's favorite place to go? Wal-Mart (I stinkin' KNEW that was coming!)

23. How do you know that Daddy loves Mommy? because he kisses you a bunch

24. What is your mom's favorite color? green

25. What is mom scared of? bears (what?!)

26. What is mom's favorite TV show? the taxi show (Cash Cab)

The Daddy Survey

Andria posted this on her blog (via a Facebook meme) and I thought it was so cute. A little interview, of sorts, of Ella about her daddy. The interview about me will come soon.

1. What is something dad always says to you? Ella calm down

2. What makes dad happy? When he reads me Hank (Hank the Cowdog)

3. What makes dad sad? Giving me a spanking

4. How does your dad make you laugh? by tickling me

5. What was your dad like as a child? I don't even know

6. How old is your dad? I don't know

7. How tall is your dad? I don't know

8. What is his favorite thing to do? Read me Hand and eat M&Ms and pecan bars

9. What does your dad do when you're not around? watch TV

10. If your dad becomes famous, what will it be for? fixing my bike's chain

11. What is your dad really good at? training horses (you should have seen the big smile on David's face when he heard this)

12. What is your dad not very good at? now that's a tough one... I don't know (again with the smile)

13. What does your dad do for his job? move rocks, plants and gates

14. What is your dad’s favorite food? cookies and chocolate pie

15. What makes you proud of your dad? fixing my (play) hay fork

16. If your dad were a cartoon character, who would he be? Mickey Mouse

17. What do you and your dad do together? we used to go to the horse unit together

18. How are you and your dad the same? we both have the same color jeans, we almost have the same color boots

19. How are you and your dad different? we don't like the same foods as each other

20. How do you know your dad loves you? he hugs me, daddy tells me he loves me

21. Where is your dad’s favorite place to go? go work with cattle and at horse units

22. How do you know that Mommy loves Daddy? 'cause y'all hug a bunch and kiss a bunch

23. What is your dad’s favorite color? blue and green

24. What is dad scared of? nothing (again, the smile)

25. What is dad’s favorite TV show? the news

How things go

Yesterday I ran across a stuffed animal that I use for Easter decoration that Ella had gotten a hold of prior. I got a good laugh out of it (and thought that Marisa would too) so I decided to take a picture to share.

I have no idea what inspired me to go upstairs to take the picture, but I did, and the best I could come up with was posing the dang thing in the window for the light. Here's what I went upstairs for, and what I subsequently took pictures of. It's just how things flow here.

Little bunny foo foo with all those baubles (He says 'Let me out, let me out!)

I got distracted by the lovely view from our bedroom window, but then got called away because of a ruckus downstairs

Ella had pushed the Bug into the living room, but added Coon as a passenger. Back to the bunny, A.D.D. girl!

Again with the sparkly bunny by a window. This light looks nice, so I call Ella over.

And then there's an intervention where someone tells me to put the camera down.

This is the kind of stuff that clouds my brain

Here and There, in no particular order:

* On Ashley's take home note from preschool the other day: Ashley ate enough for TWO toddlers! She really loved her macaroni and cheese with ham!

* Did you know that you can unclog a toilet with dish soap? I didn't either before this weekend and a little Googling, but I'm here to testify that it works!

* I added a little thing over on the side that shows the cities of all of my visitors, which I think is really cool. Now if I could only stop checking in on it and padding the visits with my city! :)

* Today I finally got off my arse and bought a web cam so that we could see the Wallace fam! We had an appointment all set up and Skyped tonight. It was so good to see all four of them (and how big Makenna has gotten!). Ella couldn't stop looking at herself onscreen, however. We may have a problem for future Skypes. As I sit here and type, knowing full well that the camera is off, I can't help but imagine that it's on and somebody, somewhere is watching me. Must take camera down between meetings.

* I made this recipe for a Cheesesteak-esque But Not type sandwich Sunday and it is really, really good. David especially liked it.

* The other day Ella told us that she was leaving for a rodeo in Texas and would be gone six days and she's taking the little Barbie VW Beetle motorized car (that was handed down to ASHLEY by a friend) and off she traipses to fold herself into it. I told her that it might take her a long time in the Bug and she hollers back 'So Be It!' What?! What five year old says that?

* I swear that camera is still looking at me.

* Last week I was on the local AM station for their weekly special about the UGA campus in town. I went with Jen and she was the primary interviewee, but I got just a smidge of talk time. No big deal, though, because I'm pretty sure about 9 people listen to that station. Let me put it to you this way: The segment on before us was sponsored by the funeral home and listed all of the people who had died. Didn't we seem rather lively, then?

Evel Knashley

Ashley Kate likes to live the life of a daredevil sometimes. A daredevil that doesn't know she's being a daredevil because her mother has been kind enough to stop such behaviors before she figures it out the hard way. Take the case of the rocking chair:




I turned the chair to the couch so that she couldn't flip backwards, which is what she comes so close to doing otherwise. Also, I thought the post-ponytail hair made the video all the more special! (Please look past the big basket of laundry to be folded and Ella coming in and doing I don't know what.)

You encourage 'em to write

and this is what you get.

Slipperyous Preschoolerous

Apparently the early part of spring is the molting season for this rare creature.





(I have no idea how Ella got her pants off like this. One minute she's wearing them, the next she has on a skirt and it looks like another version of herself met an early demise, a la the Wicked Witch of the West.)

Snow in Georgia?

It's been 2 1/2 months since we've seen snow, but once it started coming down today you would have thought Ella had never seen the stuff! The stars and the moon must have aligned just right to make middle Georgia see snow all day long. It didn't really stick to speak of, but it was impressive enough for our latitude! I can imagine that there were little children all over the county who where going nuts over it trying to make snowballs and such.

I don't think this area has seen the likes of this... in ages? Ever?

The cows huddled up close underneath a group of trees at the back of our yard.

This was big, WET snow, so this mama cow is probably glad she's got a layer of leather to keep her dry.

Like I said, big, WET snow. With a side of attitude. (You can see it in her eyes, can't you?!)

I'm totally indulging myself with this one. I just thought it was a cool picture.

It's a veritable blizzard but of course the turkeys are out. Can you see 'em?

Poor jonquils! I told them not to come out yet! Just a little overzealous, I guess.

School is cool

I've told you before how pleased we are with Ella's new preschool, and I mean it. Today, as we were driving away, she sighed and said 'I love preschool...' I told her that I was very glad, and asked if she liked it better than her old one. 'Yes,' she said 'they have better food.' At least the girl is honest.

Here is photographic evidence of why I love this new preschool so much:


This would be Ella Grace, READING. Her teacher send home a list of words that they have been working on reading each week, along with the blend sounds. This is Ella, reading both columns of words, repeatedly telling us No! I don't want help! I want to learn. Yes ma'am.

Ashley's channeling the '80s

Last week I decided that it was high time to step up efforts to get Ashley's hair to bend to my will and lay to the side. With the skill and precision of a woman hell bent, I gathered up her hair to the side and tied it up in a tiny pony tail holder.


She looked mildly hilarious, but her hair was out of her face, dang it! Oddly enough, Ashley left her little 'do done all day. And when we took out the pony tail holder, she was kickin' it Flock of Seagulls style.

Speaking of AK's hair, have I made mention of the fact that she has curls in the back? Ella never really had any curls, so we were very surprised to see these!

I love it!

One of the perks of motherhood

The jonquils and crocus held out as long as they could, but this past week's 70+ degree days were too much to bear. And I'm benefiting from it, thanks to a sweet little girl who loves her mama.

Somebody Got a Rose for Valentine's Day

And it wasn't me.

It appears that Ella Grace has a boyfriend. I KNOW.

Christian is the young man's name, and he gave this to Ella after she spilled the beans that she had given him two pieces of candy in his valentine.


She was rather pleased, especially since the first thing she had said after getting putting on her tights and dress that morning was 'Christian's going to think I look soooo cute!'

My new Life Goal

is to beat this S.O.B.

I'd like to thank David's family for allowing me to pick one up and start compulsively twisting it to get the damn thing sorted out. Do you detect sarcasm? Because there was definitely sarcasm there....

I'm adding this cube of insanity to my list of things to accomplish before I die. Unless frustration from trying to figure it out kills me, because Ken has already told me that I'm not allowed to move around the stickers. (On the old school Rubik's Cube at the M house, it is stickers. On the new school one that I bought today (because I'm INSANE), it's just colored sides. I couldn't cheat if I wanted to!)

This is what I'm up against

The peanut butter, when I so deviously caringly put this out, was all the way to the end. And now it's not.

I SEE YOU, smarty pants mouse! We'll see if you can escape with your life after the sweet addition of some mashed in cheese!

The Man is CLEVER

One of the many, many reasons I love my husband:

Through the course of conversation tonight, I was talking to David about a woman who is Wiccan. I tried to make a joke about asking her to do some hocus pocus for us, but found that I didn't know how to properly refer to someone who believes in Wicca. Is it 'a Wiccan'? Or just 'is Wiccan'? I stumbled over a few of my words, not sure of what to say when I finally expressed this to David. And he promptly told me that perhaps there was a Wicca-pedia?

Misinformation Out in the Yard

Dear Jonquils,

It appears that you may have been given some incorrect information... It is not, in fact, spring and in no way is it the appropriate time for you to be doing this:

I've heard what the weatherman said about tonight, my dears, and it may not turn out well for you. So gather all of your premature budding buddies together and tuck in tight. IT'S FEBRUARY, and it's gonna get cold.

Megan

Over the River and Through the Woods

Last weekend we decided to get out and get a little fresh air with a walk around the pasture and woods by our house. Since Ashley doesn't have the desire/ability to walk, we have to carry her increasingly heavy self. That's quite a burden load to bear, so we split duties according to who was about to die the least at the time.

Here's Ashley Kate, enjoying her no walking state with a little knowing glance back at me.

And then here's Pickpocket Kate, caught red handed as she tries, for the 57th time, to steal David's notebook out of his pocket. You can see the amusement on his face. Not.

Ella elected herself Head Boss of Lilly while out on the walk.

Lilly elected herself Head Boss of Pond Wading, Poop Eating and Rolling Around in Stinky Stuff in General while on the walk.

Even though Ella never once carried Ashley, she seemed to require the most hydration. Possibly at the expense of the hydration of the two pack mules with the extra load of a lazy baby.
BUT IT'S OK. No, really.

Important Announcement:

LET IT BE KNOWN that all in the McClure house are on heightened alert since it was discovered that one Miss Ashley Kate has decided that continuing on into her 15th month birthday with only two teeth absolutely will not do and that she will work on springing forth with FIVE new top teeth AT THE VERY SAME TIME.

For Ashley and her parents, there has been a nonstop Tylenol and beer drip, respectively.

Have mercy on us all.

Pancakes and Bacon

Today was pajama and movie day at preschool and Ella couldn't have been more excited. She took The Jungle Book with her and wore her new horse pajamas (from Aunt Jamie and Uncle Jeff). Her teacher, Ms. Regina, even made pancakes in class for breakfast!

At supper tonight I was trying to extract from Ella exactly which movies they watched today, when she continued to ignore me and said 'IIIII'm tryyyyyin' to fiiiiined the chicken!' in regards to our chicken noodle casserole meal. I scampered right off to get the camera in hopes that she would say it again, knowing full well that she only lays on the thick accent when she's showing out.

When I brought the camera back to the table, she froze up and refused to speak. So I just turned it on and let it roll. Eventually she forgot about the camera and started to talk (because, let's face it, the girl talks non.stop.). Unfortunately, she started to talk about baycun. More trying to be cute on her part, but highly amusing on my part!




A few things to note:

* Those are the horse pajamas. Rather handy, having your child go to school in her pajamas!

* She and David are reading more of the Hank the Cowdog books, in which most recently Hank eats fatty pieces of bacon.

* Ashley Kate is there, just off camera, but heard nonetheless.

* Ella had a collision with a classmate that gained her a bruised head, busted lip and any other minor injury she could think of.

* The laughing, followed by 'What?' is a result of me laughing at Ashley Kate filling up her pants (which you can actually hear, if you listen very, very carefully).

You know it warms my heart to hear Ella picking up bits and pieces of a Southern accent. Pretty much burns it up, really. But holy smokes, the amount she has picked up in such a short time kind of scares me. She very well may end up sounding like a backwoods hick! Aaah, I'll take it over 'pop' (Coke) and 'seerup' (syrup)!

Since Ashley Kate could not be ignored, I turned the camera on her (right before I whisked her off for a diaper change).




(You can hear Ella in the background telling David about her fatty baycun.)

Cabinet Cleaning, by Ashley Kate

I got all caught up trusting this cute face who so readily smiled for the camera, that I missed out on her true intentions: cabinet clearing.


But I wasn't mad. How could I be? Clearly the girl needed some dip to go in the dip bowl!