Hilarious Playdough

Today Phoebe and I made playdough. We made orange and green so we could make pumpkins. Then we got out the Mr. Potato head pieces to create people (or monsters as Phoebe said). She said it was "hilarious". She played for a long time and said "this is making me tired". Once she said "Do you want me to make you a flood?" (whatever that means). I said sure, and she said, "Sorry. I can't."








Here's the recipe we used that always works well:
1 cup flour
1/2 cup salt
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1 cup water
1 tsp vegetable oil
food coloring

Mix everything except food coloring in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat until it holds together. Stir the whole time. When it's cool enough, knead on a floured surface. Add food coloring.

Tooth #2

Owen lost his first tooth on a Saturday, and the second tooth on the following Thursday. He looks so cute. I always thought he'd be one to freak out over losing a tooth, but he doesn't. The second one was pretty loose, then he bit into an apple and it got really loose. So, he took a tissue and pulled it out. Phoebe insists that she also has loose teeth. I think it's safe to say, the tooth fairy can take a break for awhile.

Tooth Fairy

Owen lost his first tooth on Saturday. It was an exciting day for him. There was some tooth fairy discussion. Chloe still doesn't own up to the tooth fairy not being real (Chloe lost a tooth on her birthday), Phoebe thought the tooth fairy actually pulls the tooth (to build a castle), and Owen was just wanting some loot. She flew in and left $10 (the first tooth always gets more) and some pixie dust (aka glitter). Owen wonders if he rubs the pixie dust on himself if he could fly. He also wonders how she carries the money. When Chloe lost her first tooth, the tooth fairy had no change and had to leave a twenty. The tooth fairy later suffered from inflation and the poor economy, and usually just leaves a five. I think she'll be flying in here again soon because Owen has another tooth about to fall out. Let's hope she has change when it happens.

Cute kid stuff

When Chloe is in the bathtub, she fills the tub completely up and since I'm the last one to get my bath every night, I sometimes run out of hot water. I hate nothing more. I love a hot bath. So I yelled in and told her to turn off the water. She didn't hear me, so Owen ran in and told her. I couldn't hear exactly what she said to him, but he came in and said Chloe "bad talked" him. I hate that bad talking.



Phoebe calls Owen her boy. I love that. She told the neighbor this evening that her boy was riding her tricycle. She tells people about her boy all the time. I was talking to a cousin I ran into at the store and she told them our kids were at school. Yesterday I heard her tell my Dad something about her girl Chloe. When she talks about Chloe and Owen together, she calls them the kids.



Phoebe is suddenly into playing store all the time. She calls me "lady" and asks me how much things cost. Then she bags up everything we own into plastic bags. It's usually books. Then I have to give her a receipt and tell her to have a nice day. Once I forgot to tell her to have a nice day and she said, "I'll have a good day". Yesterday she put all the bags in her little shopping cart and took them and put them in the chair. Then she got in the chair and pretended to drive. Today she wanted me to go outside while she rode her tricycle and she told me we'd go outside and then play store in a minute. We're on a tight schedule around here.

Every night at dinner I ask Chloe and Owen to tell me the best and worst parts of their day at school. Owen is really loving first grade. He always tells the best part of his day (today it was playing with the parachute in gym), but usually says he didn't have any bad parts. Today he did say when his friend had to change his card (their discipline plan involves changing the color of their cards).

Chloe is doing well in sixth grade and likes her teacher, but isn't really thrilled with going to school in general. She told me that two boys "asked her out". Out? Where are they going?? She told them she was already "dating" someone. I can handle the boy stuff okay, but I don't like the bad talking. ;)

Phoebe Leann's 3rd Birthday

Three years ago on September 14th, our last baby, Phoebe Leann, was born. She was born a beauty and a blessing, and remains a beauty and a blessing three years later. We have treasured her and enjoyed her, loved her and delighted in her.

Her first birthday:




















Her second birthday:




















Her third birthday:




















She had a princess party the day before her birthday and she had such a good time!




























































































I thank God every day for my little princess.

The Game Farm

Over the weekend we went to the West Virginia Wildlife Center. We always called it the Game Farm or French Creek Game Farm. I loved going there as a kid, and Danny says he did too. We've had Chloe there two or three times, and Owen once when he was a baby. It's about a three hour drive to get there, so we don't go very often. Some pics of the day:

Chloe is 11???

I don't know how in the world Chloe just turned 11. But she did. Eleven years ago on August 28th, Chloe was born. She was a tiny thing at 6 pounds and 6 ounces and 20 1/4 inches long. The most wonderful, perfect, beautiful thing we had ever seen. My labor and delivery with her was horrible. No epidural and more pain that I could have ever imagined. We were so happy to meet her, to love her, to be her parents. She was my first baby, the one who made me a mother.



Being the mother of an eleven year old isn't something I thought about when I was pregnant with her, or when she was a baby, or even a toddler. It is sometimes interesting and not always pleasant. She is a delightful daughter though and is one of my greatest joys and blessings. Now at eleven she loves makeup, wild jewelry (less is more means nothing to her), especially earrings, gum, crazy clothes, pandas, reading, her new cell phone, magazines, sleepovers, and polishing her nails.

On her actual birthday this year we had a little cookout and an ice cream cake. We finally relented and got her a cell phone that she has been dying for.




For her party we rented the pool. She had a great time with all her friends despite the cool evening.





It was a great birthday and I hope she has many more happy ones! I can't wait to see what the next year brings (I think).