Happy New Years!

Happy New Years Everyone! 

Jordan had a great time at her Nana B's house with Kayden and Trent, her cousins.  She got to run almost completely wild and free. 

Emily, wasn't quite so happy.  The party started about an hour before her like-clock-work bedtime.  She was whiny and fussy.  Josh ended up taking Emily home where they battled out bedtime without Mommy.  Emily finally fell asleep on  Josh in our rocker recliner.  Sweetest thing I've seen in along time is the two of them cuddled up in my chair together.

Jordan cuddled up on the couch while I held Emily for a little while.  I transferred them both to their prospective beds, then watched the ball drop.

2010 saw a lot for the Parker Family. 

• I started my graduate program and have maintained a 4.0 average across my first three semesters. 
• Jordan started VPK three days a week and loves it.  I've never seen her learn and change so much as I have this past year. 
• Emily turned one, learned to walk, talk, sing, and dance through the year with joy and laughter. 
• Josh and I celebrated five years of marriage on a cruise to the Bahamas. 
• I started teaching a new grade with a new team and a new classroom. 
• I lost 20 pounds and reached my pre-pregnancy weight through self-control, a healthy diet, and exercise.

I have to wonder what 2011 has in store for us.  It feels like a waiting year since 2012 is going to be a big one for us.  I will graduate and Jordan will start Kindergarten.  For now, I will hope that we are able to restore some financial security.  I will hope for patience and strength in communication with my family members.  I will hope for peace of mind and clarity in decision making.

I am making a resolution to lose the last 20 pounds that will put me at my healthiest weight for my height and age.  I am resolving to maintain my 4.0 GPA.  I am resolving to be more patience with my oldest daughter, and more consistant with my younger daughter. 

Again, Happy New Year friends and family.  I pray for peace, hope, and love for you in this new year.

Dreams

Jordan fell asleep on the couch while we were watching the animated series, Avatar: The Last Airbender last night.  So I hauled her into her own bed (haul is the best word because she is HUGE now.  It's hard to carry her at all).  About 4:30 am she came into our room.

Jordan: "Mom, you forgot our prayer."
Me: "Jordan, you fell asleep on the couch before we could do prayers."
Jordan: "Could I cuddle with you and do our prayers now."
Me: "Sure."
She climbs under the covers and we snuggle in.  I recite the prayer Jordan has constructed and wants repeated nightly. 'Dear God, please protect Jordan while she is sleeping.  Give her the sweetest of dreams about ponies, princesses, castles, and pink sparkly dresses.  Thanks you God for the sun, soil, rain, and flowers.'  She then adds in a person she wants to pray for.

Jordan: "Good night Momma."
Me: "Night Jord."
We both fell back asleep and at an unknown amount of time later, I feel Jordan's belly shaking.  I realize she's giggling in her sleep.  Then she starts laughing out loud.  After a couple of minutes I realize she is awake.

Me: "What are you dreaming about Jordy?"
Jordan: "Oh Mom, it was the funniest thing.  Donald Duck was screaming "DUCK! DUCK!" and then he fell in the doggy pool.  Do you know who was in the pool with Donald?!  Free Willy!"
Me: "That is funny Jordan.  That must have been a big doggy pool."
Jordan: "It was HUGE!" 
She then started laughing hysterically again.

Playroom Organization Ideas

After spending some time at my sisters and looking at the tornado that exists in my daughter's playroom, I have started to collect some ideas for storage and organization for their playroom.  I can't do much about the horrible drop ceiling and jalousy (sp?) windows, or the carpet.  So I'm going to post some pics and point out the stuff I think I'd like to incorporate in our room. 

The back room is rectangular.  I love the lower modular shelving along the two walls.  I would want to do this on one wall and make them deeper so that the shelves could become window seats.

The entertainment center we have works in our room but I like this modualr center better.  I also like there is not a large couch in this room.  Our back room has a large couch-bed that is old and broken.  It needs to go.

The other thing I like about this room is the use of baskets to store toys.  I'd much rather see the baskets than the toys.

My kids have tons of books.  They love to look at books and they love being read to.  As a teacher, I hate putting my books on a shelf with just the spines showing.  I know that kids don't choose books by the spines.  At my kid's ages, they chose books by their covers! 

I love these floating shelves.  I have floating shelves that my brother built for me in my living room.  I like the idea of continuity to the back playroom.  Besides, it wont be a playroom forever and I don't want to have to redesign everything when that time comes. 

Instead of a small table underneath, I'd put a couple of baskets for books needing to be reshelved and/or extras to circulate through.  I'd also want a couple of comfy chairs.  This shelving is pictures between two doorways.  Our is on a huge wall.



I LOVE this as a storage option for toys the girls want to get their hands on often.  I think I could make it work to store other things when the toys are gone someday.  I like that it has an old farmhouse feel. 



 The art table here would be perfect for the girls.  It's wide enough to fit two and has storage bins for all the supplies they need to create all the wonderful things they like to create.  I worry a little that it's too small for them for long term though.

Maybe something like this, times 2...would be better long term for the girls.  I love the butcher paper roll.  I don't like the bench though.  I think I'd prefer they have chairs.

An option with this desk is to put two sets of those floating book shelves in and in between them the desks.  Then on the wall inbetween, there could be some wire hung so the girls could hang their hard dry or to display.


Okay, I think that's enough for now.  What do you think?

Mommy's Little Thief

It was a busy day of running around yesterday.  I grabbed my neice, Alexis, so I could run in and out of some stores to get items for the girls without them seeing.  We had a great ladies lunch, as Jordy likes to call it when just the girls go out for a meal. 

One of our stops was to Michaels.  We are creating a craft for the grandparents for the girls to give.  We got our stuff and went up to pay.  Jordy was really well behaved in the store.  I was complimenting her as we walked out to the car when I turned and saw her munching on something.  Here is the conversation that ensued:

Me:"Jordan, what are you eating?"
Jordan:"Chocolate."
Me: "Where did you get the chocolate?"
Jordan: "From the store.  They were sitting out and I wanted one."
Me: "Jordan, that's stealing.  Everything in a store has to be bought."
Jordan: "Oh, I'm sorry Mommy."

So now we're standing on a precipise.  What do I do?  Laugh it off as a one time event, hope that our little talk is enough to keep her from doing it again?  I decide this is a teachable moment and take it by the reigns.

Me: "You're going to have to go back inside with me and explain what you did and apologize.  Then you are going to pay for that candy with your allowance money."
Jordan: "Okay, Mommy"

To Jordan's credit, she did not put up any kind of a fuss and showed remorse immediately.  I could tell she didn't understand that those candies weren't free.  I think in her mind it was like getting the free cookie when you go to Publix.  Once she understood she was wrong she was willing to make it right.  We went back into the store.  I handed Jordan a dollar bill and we waited in line with her half-eaten candy and the wrapper in hand.  We approached the counter:

Me: I whispered the the cashier to please play along to which she nodded her assent. "My daughter needs to explain something to you."
Jordan: "Um, I'm sorry.  I took this and didn't pay for it."
Cashier: "I'm glad you came back to pay.  That was the right thing to do." 
Jordan: "I'm going to pay for it with my allowance."
Cashier: "Okay, sweetie."

We finished the transaction.  I had Jordan tell Josh what she did.  I want to make it clear that all of this was down with calm voices, and me talking at eye level with her.  I wasn't angry at all.  I simply wanted her to understand the gravity of stealing and that when you don't know you've done something wrong, you still have to make it right.

I'm very proud of her.  She did not break down, throw a tantrum, or get angry.  She simply accepted responsibility.  I guess I'm doing something right. 

Sweet Sleepers

Last night Jordan's Nini took her to the City of Clearwaters hoiday celebration.  There was a Christmas village with pony rides, petting zoo, and Santa and down the street a sled right with "snow".  She had a blast!  When she got home we cuddled on the recliner.  She wiggled and giggled.  She cuddled and kissed.  About halfway through the movie she layed across my lap and became very still.  My busy little bee was asleep.  I gladly held her for the remainder of TinkerBelle's new movie. 

While Jordan was out with Nini, Emily stayed home and had some alone time with Josh and I.  She showed off by spinning in the living room, dancing, and jumping.  After a while, I started watching a show on the tv and Josh went into his "man cave".  Emily followed him down the hall.  She sometimes will play with some toys next to him.  I didn't hear her for a while so I went to investigate. 

Emily had taken Jordan's Xena doll and layed down in the hallway right outside Josh's "man cave" door.  Emily was laying on her belly with her legs bent at the knee 90 degrees up the wall.  Sound asleep. 

I picked her up and transferred her to the bed.  She cuddled right into her blankie and stayed asleep until 7am.

Such sweet little sleepers I have.