Friday, August 28, 2015

Toohig Tidbits: August Part 1

We were having our family over for dinner one night. As our little hostess with the mostest listed off all the things we needed, she said, “Got the plates? Got the forks? Got the wine?!”

As she checked out my work outfit for the day, she asked, “Mama, why you so sassy for work today?”

We were talking about what the word ‘paradise’ meant. I asked her what would be her paradise, and she said, “My mama. Or when I was inside my mommy’s belly.”

“Mama, you and I are a lot alike. I’m sassy. And cute. And I like shoes and lipstick.”

I was dancing in the car on the way to school one morning. From the backseat, HG starts making the fishing reeling motion with her hands and says, “Ring it in, Mama, ring it in.”

Getting her to study is like pulling her teeth- painful and often full of tears. One night as she was telling me how one of her classmates could do this test in her sleep, we were talking about how different people have different strengths. She pulled herself together and said maturely, “We are all different. We are all a star in our own family.”

Again, while studying for spelling, she told me, “Do you smell annoying because you are driving me crazy!”

While we were driving with a friend of HG’s, they were discussing how water gets into the clouds. I hear HG say, “I don’t know. I guess that’s one of those things that Jesus knows.”

Spiffer was doing a tap dance to go with the spelling word ‘tap,’ and HG said, “Honestly, Spiffer, sometimes I think you need to go to a child psychologist!”

“I love myself for being who I am.”

At the end of the SK school year, one of HG’s friends from SK was at risk of not moving forward to first grade. She was given the summer to study but felt overwhelmed by it. Her mom told me that HG gave her a hug and told her that if she believed in herself, she could do it. That gave her the self confidence she needed to push through it, and she has joined them in first grade!

HG made this little mouse several months ago, and it now lives in her marker box.2015-08-01 22.11.34Fun with Addie in the pool2015-08-02 13.32.452015-08-02 17.00.19All ready for bed!2015-08-02 19.16.532015-08-02 20.28.422015-08-02 22.40.10Dinner with Caroline and Doty, future Delta Gammas2015-08-03 19.17.40Campaigning for DeSoto County elections with S & GD2015-08-04 10.18.43This is what happens at bedtime some nights…and then Mama has to be a buzz kill.2015-08-04 19.38.59HG was begging for something and offered to give me her puppy dog eyes.2015-08-05 19.22.29Spiffer laid down with HG for ‘quiet time’ one afternoon, and this is what I found when I came home. Spiffer swears she wasn’t asleep!2015-08-07 15.21.31Christy is back!!2015-08-07 18.55.192015-08-10 11.27.362015-08-08 06.28.022015-08-09 08.33.20First time in her own helmet and half chaps2015-08-09 10.18.022015-08-09 10.56.12-12015-08-09 12.09.10Hooray for the end of the first week of school!2015-08-14 15.31.06-5First day of SAA soccer season2015-08-15 08.07.09

First Day of 1st Grade

Helen Grace was pretty excited about going back to school and being in first grade (other than the homework starting again). She was happy to see her girls again and felt like such a big girl being in the lower school and with a new uniform- and shoes!

On the first day, August 12th, we miraculously ended up getting ready a little early and had time to braid her hair as requested and take a few pics. I parked at the church and walked her into her classroom. As we walked, I asked if she were nervous. She said, “Only a little bit, but just because I don’t know what Mrs. Barksdale likes, like what she likes to eat.” Well, ok, child, we can figure that out!

As we hit the classroom door, she was attacked by the Tanseys and Bella Marie and had a huge smile plastered across her face. I stepped in to see her desk and watch her get settled, and then she gave me a big giggly hug and out I went! I was a little misty eyed as I walked down the hall watching all the big girls scurry around, thinking how quickly HG will be one of those, but when I saw Erin Avery and she asked me if I needed a hug, the tears flowed!

Luckily, it was a half day, so I was back soon to pick her up. She was very happy as I picked her up in the car pool line. She was so excited that they were going to a science room, an art room, a music room, and a Spanish room. We drove through Chick-fil-A and then took lunch to John’s office. She had a big time telling everyone about her first day. Then, we stopped by Grandma’s office on the way home, and she got to do it all again!

So proud of her for being brave and for loving her school!

CF6C3048CF6C3050CF6C3053CF6C3056CF6C3061CF6C3065About to walk in the school’s door2015-08-12 08.16.312015-08-12 08.20.062015-08-12 08.20.222015-08-12 08.20.532015-08-12 08.38.11This is definitely a different car pool view2015-08-12 11.06.402015-08-12 11.37.31 HDR2015-08-12 11.38.18-1Mrs. Barksdale gave them some sweet treats at the end of the day.2015-08-12 11.38.312015-08-12 12.36.012015-08-12 12.36.022015-08-12 13.38.55

Monday, August 10, 2015

Last Mommy Day of Summer

Wednesday, August 5th, was my last day off before school starts this Wednesday. I felt this huge responsibility to really just blow it out with fun things since it’d be a while before we had a whole weekday to ourselves!

We started the day with a ‘healthy hair cut’ at Hairlines and then headed to our favorite nail salon, Vo’s. I got a pedi while she put her feet in the water, sat in the massage chair, and got her fingernails done. Since she can’t wear polish at school, it was our last act of rebellion before the return of Catholic school rules, and she picked two shades of colorful glitter!

Then, we swung by Whimsy Cookie for a strawberry gooey cookie and then on to Panera to meet the Bakers for a girls’ lunch.

After lunch, we headed to the Children’s Museum. It was really crowded, so we made a quick run through the inside exhibits and then she was ready for the sprinkler park. I found a nice spot in the shade next to a big fan, and it was actually pretty pleasant. After a bit though, a big storm rolled in, and we barely made it to the car before the raindrops started falling.

To end the day, she requested sushi for dinner, so despite the thunderstorm, we trooped out to Urban Fusion. We had a very nice dinner next to the fish tank and enjoyed some girl talk. HG asked me if she could ask the waitress to be her friend, so before we left, HG walked over to her and asked her. The waitress was such a good sport (thank you, Jesus!), and HG was so proud of herself, as was I. Big girl with a very kind heart!

“Getting ready” in Mama’s closet2015-08-05 08.10.37Safety first for Dream, her new Build a Bear that GD took her to last week2015-08-05 09.49.032015-08-05 11.15.32So proud of her nails2015-08-05 11.39.09-1Anything for a strawberry gooey2015-08-05 12.04.31Lunch with Camille2015-08-05 13.34.27Fun at the Children’s Museum2015-08-05 14.07.582015-08-05 14.24.112015-08-05 14.42.022015-08-05 14.55.022015-08-05 14.55.332015-08-05 14.55.362015-08-05 14.55.37