June

Abby celebrates her bridge crossing ceremony for Girl Scouts.

The girls with their cousin, Molly.

 

I lost my glasses today. Perfect timing since we leave for Cambodia tomorrow. I called Walmart (last place I saw them) and they have some in lost and found. The problem was, I can't drive without my glasses, and I can't send Mike, because he doesn't know what my glasses look like even though I have worn them for 2.5 years. So we got the girls out of bed and went as a family. The girls wore robes and were excited to be up late for an adventure. We looked classy strolling though Walmart in pjs; Hannah holding my hand to help me navigate. (A seeing-eye-child.) Alas, Walmart was not the solution. Hopefully they turn up in the next 23 hours.

 Abby and Hannah's dance recital.

The girls went to the zoo with cousins Molly and Titus.

 I have no idea what's going on here.

 Grammy Pammy visits from Colorado.

The girls have asked for prayer for our upcoming trip to Cambodia. Abby - Please pray that the bugs taste good. Hannah - Don't miss us too much. We're coming back in six weeks. Amen.

We were eating with friends tonight. Abby let her noodles hang half out of her mouth until everyone noticed. With the food still hanging there, she said, "I learned this from Daddy!"

 

Abby's a poet:
‘’Love mom and dad sometimes my mom is really glad sometimes my mom is really mad sometimes my dad is really sad sometimes my dad is really bad’’

 

Summer in Cambodia

If you haven't already heard, we're in Cambodia for the summer.  Here's the link to our summer blog address:
Journey Towards Justice

April

Hannah Turns Six!

Happy Easter!

Hannah celebrates her last day as a five-year-old by going on a field trip to the zoo.

 I went on a zoo field trip today. My favorite 5-year-old quote: (As she is wolfing down a hot dog.) "Ms. Amy! I care about animals so much, that I only eat them once a week! Isn't that nice of me?"

Someone donated waiting room chairs to our garage sale. We posted them on Craigslist, and within a day, someone was at our house buying them. The lady said, "I prayed for these!"
I said, "Hannah, did you hear that? She prayed for these!"
Hannah looked her in the eye and replied, "Yeah, but God didn't give them to you! We did!"

 

I'm in the tornado shelter with my dog. He's really stinky and is not respecting my need for personal space.

Abby: Mom, sometimes it's hard not to annoy your sister. (Long pause.) And it's really hard not to be annoyed by your sister.

Sign of the times:
Abby - "Mom! Hannah's using "bully words" to me!!"

Hannah recounts the Sunday School lesson. "Mom, did you know that when Jesus was going to die, they whacked him? They whacked him 39 times, because if they whack you 40 times, you die forever, and they didn't want him to die forever. BUT - if he gets whacked one more time, he'll be dead forever."

 

 

May

Field Day

Hannah saw Abby typing a Roses are Red poem, and decided to try one of her own. It's much better than the classic.

ham is good
roses are red
I love you

Overheard from Hannah:
"I look just like my sister except for my face."

 We had Hannah's birthday party at Artie's Playhouse.  The children enjoyed a performance of Charlotte's Web.  When the show was over, they were able to dance on the stage.

Hannah's quite the dancer!

 

Aunt Kelli made pig cupcakes in honor of Wilbur.

We were talking about places we'd like to visit. San Diego, Colorado, Florida. . . .
H - Let's go to China!
A - Yeah! And Ping Pong!
Me - Where??
A - Ping Pong. That's where Lanie was born.
Me - Lanie was born in Hong Kong.
The four of us explode with laughter.
Me - That's going on Facebook, Abby!
A - NO! Not on Facebook!!


Hannah lost her first tooth this morning! This afternoon, she lost the lost tooth. Sorry, tooth fairy.

Abby asked me for a desk in her room.
Me- What do you need a desk for?
Abby- When I play teacher, I need one. It's no fun to play teacher without a desk.
(Seeing me unconvinced, she tried a different tactic.)
Plus, if I did my homework at my desk, maybe I would take my homework a little more seriously.

Me: Hannah, do you want to listen to your books?
Hannah: No, thanks. I need to make my sign of 'No Abbys allowed.'
They must have made up, because the sign posted on Hannah's door says, "Yes Abbys in my room."

We went camping at Lake Mineral Wells State Park. 

The girls brought butterfly nets and chased bugs all over the park.

I helped out in Hannah's class this morning. Nothing quite makes my day like a six-year-old boy sassing me, refusing to follow my directions, then telling me I'm annoying. Wow.

Abby and Hannah were playing in the backseat while I was driving. Abby had a stuffed penguin while Hannah gave voice to her Cinderella doll. Here's what I heard:
Cinderella - Okay, I'll marry you!
Penguin - Okay, let's get married.
(I wasn't paying attention to this part, but apparently there was a lover's spat.)
Cinderella - Fine! I'm not marrying you anymore!
(Pause)
Cinderella - I'm taking off this wedding dress right now!!
(The dress comes off.)
Penguin - WHOA!! Bunzies!!

January

Hannah went to a make-over birthday party.

Abby dressed up so as not to be left out.

The photo shoot was delayed while the girls greeted the mailman.

Hannah was learning the books of the New Testament through a song. Her sweet voice practiced last night. "Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Acts and Romance." Laughing, I told her that it's not Romance. She said, "Oh, that's right. Romance comes later."

Abby's New Year's Resolutions:
1. Stay up later.
2. To go to Dunkin Donuts.
3. To celebrate New Year.
4. To beat my sister up.
5. To watch I-Carly. 

Hannah's New Year's Resolutions (penned by Abby):
1. I will read the Bible.
2. This year I want to eat more ice cream.
3. This year I want to play Wii all the time.
4. I want to watch TV.
5. This year I want a loose tooth.
 

I love this picture so much!

February

Abby's Girl Scout troop sold cookies at a local store.

Hannah helped out while wearing her Daisies vest.

Hannah was telling a story about herself, a visiting friend, and me. She didn't know how to differentiate herself and her friend in her storytelling, so she ended up saying, "The kid who's the guest and the kid who owns the mom." 

Hannah recently got bangs. I was brushing them after tonight's bath when she sighed. "Mommy, it's hard owning bangs."

Scene: Hannah puts scented lotion on my hands, and I rub it in.
Hannah: Good job, Mom! Now when people walk past you, they won't say, "Gross! You smell disgusting!"

Hannah had her hand on her chest this morning. She quietly said, "My heart is beeping."

March

Abby and Hannah enjoyed rock climbing camp over Spring Break.

Driving to Walmart last night, the girls started bickering. I was bemoaning the fact that I might have to put up with this behavior all through grocery shopping. I didn't feel so bad, however, when I got out of the car and saw a girl Hannah's age throwing a fit in the parking lot. She glared at her mom and screamed, "I'll hate you for the rest of my life!!!!!" Ahhh, raising girls.

Hannah was singing along with the radio until the song ended. "NO! Play it again, Mom!"
I said, "I can't, it's on the radio."
"Then TURN AROUND!"

While at a butterfly exhibit, a butterfly nestled into Hannah's hair.

She was fine with it until other people starting taking pictures.  She got embarrassed and asked me to get the butterfly off because it was poking her too hard.

Abby ate a roll of Smarties at the hairdresser's. She saved one for Mike, holding it for much of the car ride home. Apparently she got tired of holding it, because when I glanced back, she had tucked it away. . . inside her belly button. She slouched calmly, keeping the candy safe. I said, "I don't think Dad's going to want that after it's been in your belly button." She replied, "I won't tell him."

Hannah had two snacks to eat while we ran errands. She looked at the healthy one, and she looked at the sugary one. "Mom, I have a new saying. Save the best for first!"

I picked the girls up early from AWANAs last night. They usually play games and have bible study, but this night ended early so everyone could go to Skate Town.
Me: Did you just do the bible study part and skip the games?
Hannah: (totally miffed) Yes! I don't know why they had to cancel the games. Why couldn't they cancel something else. . . . Like the "missionary time."
Me: It's important to learn about missionaries.
Hannah: I know, but I can learn about them anytime. Playing is healthier!

Abby: "Mom, I made this for you!" She hands me a pottery piece she made in school. "I made one before this, but it was really ugly. Luckily, it broke."

We were invited over for a playdate yesterday. When it was time to leave, the girls sweet-talked our hostess into having a sleepover. It was smooth! So, I've been without children for 15 hours now. Beware to anyone who now invites us over for a playdate. My kids can work it!

I'm wondering if Hannah might have some of these fundraiser facts mistaken.
"Mommy! We are doing jump rope for heart, and whoever raises the most money gets a new heart for a sick person! If I win, I'm giving it to Grammy Pammy!"

Hannah told me that she really likes a boy in her kindergarten class. She even kissed his back once. We then had the, "You don't need to be kissing boys" talk, but she insisted that she really likes him. Why?
"Mom! He reads chapter books!"

Scene: Abby completing a reading comprehension worksheet. The story is of Charles Schultz and his career.
Abby: (totally frustrated) This question doesn't make any sense!!!! None of the answers are right!!!
(Looking over it, I see that the answer is something about how Schultz drew Peanuts.)
Me: What about this one?
Angry Abby looks at me like the moron I obviously am, and growls, "Mom. He didn't draw any peanuts. He drew Charlie Brown and Snoopy."

Don't you hate it when your mom makes you look directly into the sun for a picture?