Strolling Down Memory Lane.

I edited my last post to include a picture of myself in the overalls. I was a little off on the date; the back of the picture says July 1976.

But, while I was digging through my treasure trove of old pictures, I found a ton of pictures that made me smile, laugh, or in the case of some of my wardrobe choices from 20 years ago, want to cry.

I posted a few over on my Facebook page, so if you haven't signed up for Facebook, join me over there!! Its a fun way to catch up with old friends. :)

But meanwhile, enjoy this little picture of 17-year-old me....

FLaSHBaCK To 1975.

Today was the Toddler Fair at Kids Kaleidoscope, where they set up a 'country fair' sort of situation with fun little stations where you can catch (rubber) ducks, toss (plastic) vegetables into bushel baskets, and oh, so many more creative and clever games that toddlers find entertaining, since they are too little to go on the Pumpkin Patch field trip with the big kids.

The kids were supposed to dress like Farmers. Since Baby A's wardrobe consists of smocked bishops, smocked backwraps, and smocked pants sets (do you see a pattern here?), I was a little baffled about what she should wear.

And THEN I remembered these overalls. My mother, the packrat, saved these overalls from the mid-1970s. Among every other stitch of EVERYTHING my sisters and I ever wore, or touched, or breathed upon. I was wearing these overalls when I caught my first fish:

Toddler fair pictures will come later, but for now, I just want to share these vintage-1970's Levi Strauss overalls. And the kid is pretty cute too.

Those Crocs look every bit as good as they did in 1975, too, don't you think? ;)

TaKiN' CaRe oF BuSiNeSS.

Yesterday Baby A and I did a little grocery shopping at Brookshire's. If you haven't seen them yet, Brookshire's has these *LOVELY* little miniature grocery buggies for the kids, which are quite a thorn in my side.

Because now, I can't take a child with me to the store without them having to push their own buggy, and the backs of my ankles are black and blue from a 6-year-old with a slight A.D.D. situation pushing the buggy along with her head in the clouds.

And of course, what Big Sis does, Baby Sis has to do. You can forget a quick trip inside for a gallon of milk; by the time a child meanders to the milk aisle with this little buggy, you've added twenty minutes to your shopping time.

So yesterday, we ran in for three things, and of course Baby A had to push the buggy. In her rubber boots, that match her little smocked dress beautifully. Pick your battles, right? You can see the exact moment she decides to head to the bakery for a free cookie.


And this was just so darn cute, I didn't even care that it took me 45 minutes to get sour cream, cilantro, and tortillas. ;) Because the only thing I like better than someone paying attention to me, is someone paying attention to my kids, and I can't even count the number of "awwww, how CUTE"'s I heard during our grocery expedition.

Brookshire's, I forgive you for inflicting these buggies on me.

THe DoRoTHy SoNG.

The other day in the car, KB asked me if I'd play the CD with the 'Dorothy Song.' I was baffled, thinking "Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz???" or "Dorothy Dinosaur???" and knowing I had NO such type of song, when she in exasperation said, "MOM!! Its that song that goes, 'Dorothy, Dorothy, we a-Dorothy."


It took me a minute to realize she was talking about "Joyful, Joyful, We ADORE Thee" from her Bible Songs CD.

PeRPeTuaL MoTioN.

I try, I try.....I really do....... to get a good picture of this kid. She thinks its funny to squirm around so that all my camera captures is the blur. And/or roll her eyes backwards into her head so that only the whites will show in a picture. How does she know to DO THAT?? It would be funny if it weren't so darn exasperating. She's a clown, I tell ya.





Pay no attention to the Cheetos and Kool-Aid in the photo. It has *NOTHING* to do with her hyperactivity. Totally unrelated.

And look at this one!! She's completely doing this on purpose.

So somebody please let her know, when she's old enough to realize that I have 6.2 million pictures of her big sister and somewhere around 8 total pictures of HER, that its not because I favor one child over the other. Some just know how to sit still for the camera.
See?

DReSSiNG a SiX-YeaR-oLD DiVa, iDLe THReaTS, and THe TooTH FaiRY

I can SO totally relate to THIS POST on the Audrey Caroline blog about trying to find clothing for six year olds!! For those of you who haven't experienced this dilemma, in the clothing manufacturing world, size 4T officially ends the 'toddler' line of clothing, and BIG GIRL sizes start at size 4. So for a couple of years now, I've had quite a challenge trying to find cute and appropriate clothing for a small girl, when all the stores in the mall want to sell you leather hot-pants and sequined tube tops for your pre-schooler. And don't even get me started on the SWIMSUITS with the sexy little triangle tops. It all gets EVEN WORSE at size six.

I've resorted to shopping at Gymboree......which I had long avoided because, well, you know I'm frugal and Gymboree prices sort of hurt my heart sometimes, especially when up til now I've been able to swap hairbows for clothes at a couple of boutiques (read: FREE CLOTHES. Sort of). But, she's outgrowing the whole 'boutique' look, and I've learned the whole 'Gymbucks' system and discovered their 'clearance' button on their website. I just love Gymboree ~ their clothes are CUTE, modest, and yet still 'hip' enough for the discerning 6 year old. For now, until she realizes that Gymboree is for LITTLE KIDS.

So about this morning.

I had bought (aka paid ACTUAL CASH MONEY for) this adorable outfit for KB, from the boutique brand Mis-tee-v-us, and she has *ReFuSeD* to wear it. Until today, when I *MADE* her. You would think I was trying to dress her in high-water plaid pants with rainbow suspenders!!! Oh, the tears....the wailing....the whining. Because I made her wear a little tunic-top with apples and pears.

I mean, come on. Would Hannah Montana wear this, or the Cheetah Girls???? And you know those are our style icons.

No- "thanks, mom, for spending your hard-earned money on this cute outfit for me." No- "thanks, mom, for buying ME an outfit instead of spending money on YOURSELF." And still, no- "thanks, mom, for buying me GOOD clothes instead of stained up garage-sale items or hand-me-downs." Can I have a little gratitude, please??

So today, I resorted to the Idle Mom Threats. You know, the 'don't make me pull this car over' kind of threats. I told her that she BETTER get happy, because if she complained ONE MORE TIME I would make her wear this outfit again TOMORROW. And if she complained tomorrow, she would have to wear it EVERY DAY THIS WEEK. And if she complained again after that, she would have to wear this little tunic top with the apples and pears EVERY DAY FOR THE REST OF THIS SCHOOL YEAR.

Like this outfit? Get used to seeing it. That is, until I can shorten a pair of plaid pants. Anyone know where I can find some rainbow suspenders?

And on an unrelated note, we had a visit from the Tooth Fairy this weekend. When she isn't whining about her outfit, I just *LOVE* seeing her smile.

We did have some drama Saturday, the day her tooth fell out. Lots of gushing blood...... I had no idea so much blood could pour out of somebody's mouth. It was sort of horrifying.

After she calmed down, the first thing she said was, "Can we sthtill go to Jothua'th thoccer game?"

Hee hee.

The joys of having a six-year-old.

A Prayer Request.

As most of you know...my sister is pregnant and due December 25th with a little GIRL. :) I know my friends and family know her history and the grief she suffered last year. This baby girl is really causing us all a lot of stress, because she isn't moving like Betsy thinks she should. Doctor says all is well, and baby is just sleeping, and everything is measuring perfectly, BUT....you know how anxious expectant mommas can be, and especially after all that she's been through!! Please....just say a prayer, every time you think about her, that baby is fine and healthy!!