Toohig Tidbits

School, dance, and soccer updates…

I got to visit with Mrs. Blaizel a week or so ago. I told her that HG had to practice her 2's late one night after her soccer game, and she said that her writing was so much better on Monday that she had asked HG if she'd practiced all weekend- and she said her face exploded into a smile. She said, "Your child's face just explodes into the most beautiful and joyous smile. She can have a serious look and then when you say something to her, the smile just spreads all the way across her face." She said she's really learning the girls' names in the class, and I've noticed that too. She comes home talking a lot more about playing with so-and-so, or so-and-so said something, etc. As we walk into her class in the mornings, Evie (who sits next to her and also the one that HG comforted in the morning when she cried at drop off) often squeals, "Helen Grace!!!"

St. Agnes pairs new students’ families with a buddy family. Ours are the Fiks who have a daughter, Lilah, in HG’s class. It turns out that John went to grade school with Lilah’s mom, Katie, and when she saw a John Toohig on the list, she knew that had to be the one and only! They’ve been great to entertain us, introduce us to a ton of other families, and answer my endless questions. Tonight, Katie texted me and said Lilah got a fortune cookie that said, “Soon someone new coming into your life will be a best friend.” Lilah said, “I know who it is- it’s the new girl, Helen Grace! She’s one of my best friends!” What a wonderful answer to prayers!

HG was the flag leader last week at school, which meant she got to hold the flag during the pledge and show everyone how to put their hand over their heart. She seems to have a job one week and be ‘on vacation’ the next week. She’s been doing some new sign language and singing a cute new song/prayer about Johnny Appleseed.

“Johnny Appleseed”- September 2013

She has started her dance classes for the year- still with Stars in Motion but at the studio (last year, they came to Maples to teach her class). She is in the same class as Riley and Ann Maxwell, so that’s been fun to see the girls and their mamas every Wednesday afternoon. They are very excited that they will be snowflakes in this year’s Alice in Wonderland Nutcracker.

She’s still loving soccer too and is excited about game days. She is getting a bit more assertive on the field, especially when someone bumps into her. You can see her set her shoulders and charge onward. She’s actually touched the ball the last two or three games, mostly by chance and sometimes by intent. She jumps up and down like crazy anytime she gets near the action, and she is still super pumped about the tunnel that the parents do at the end of the game.

And on to the funnies…

HG randomly came out with the fact that Sunday was an ‘S’ day, which meant it was a weekend day and not a school day. I said, “HG, how do you know that?!” She responded, “I don’t know. I’m just smart. Well, I’m starting to get smart.”

HG said, “Autumn is when the trees get naked. But wait…ewww! I don’t want to see naked trees!!!”

When I woke her up on my birthday, the first words out of her {sleepy} mouth were, “Happy birthday, Mommy!”

When she doesn’t think she can do something, she often tells me, “I’ll try my best.”

So excited about taking fall treats to her teachers HG’s family tree  Seafood Junction dinner date with Bubba Happy morning at school (The Schmidt twins had just blown by as she was standing there looking at the Jesus statue, and she was quite tickled by their run-by.)A much needed cupcake date with Lawson- and Rowan too!N-A-PGrandma’s kitties, Dewey and Reilly, are getting big and sure do love each other! This looks like trouble… “Woman, quit taking pictures of me, and let me do my homework in peace!” Can you believe this bed?? See Rebel (and Mama’s picture) up on her pillow? 

“Annie”- August 2013- I found this on my phone from last month and can’t remember if I shared it or not, so here it goes anyway…

”Pledge of Allegiance”- September 2013- You can tell she’s been practicing, although the apple in her mouth might be a bit distracting. :)

Trip to Jackson: Football, Pacers, and Country Fun

This weekend, Helen Grace and I took off after school to hit the road for Jackson. Our cousin, Worth, is a sophomore at Jackson Prep and is playing football as a second string quarterback and part of the kick off return team. They played Bassfield, who was a highly favored team with five players already signed with colleges, but Prep won the game in overtime- a HUGE win!

Helen Grace was happy to watch the game and kept screaming, “Go Worth!!,” but she was much more interested in finding Grace Ann who was hanging out with her friends and watching the Pacers, Prep’s high stepping dance team. She comes by it naturally. Suzanne was also a Pacer, so I have always been fascinated by them too. A Pacer came up behind us in line at the concession stand, and when she saw HG’s ‘in awe’ face, she bent down and talked to her. I thought HG was going to die of excitement! During the fourth quarter, Suzanne had to set up an after-game party, so HG and I helped her. Or should I say, I helped while HG managed the cheese puffs?? We got to see Suzanne’s classroom after the game, and HG thought the biology lab was really cool.

The next morning, we had a nice, lazy morning at Aunt Glo’s. HG drew a lot of masterpieces and went on a treasure hunt in her yard for fall leaves and acorns. Then, we all met Uncle Lary, Suzanne, and Grace Ann for lunch at Newk’s. Poor Grace Ann had an excited little shadow following behind her the whole time!

After lunch, HG and I went out to Reba’s new house in Madison that is still under construction, so that we could visit with the girls and meet their new baby brother, William, who is almost four weeks old. Since the family of six is living in a three bedroom apartment while the house is finished, they were enjoying spending an afternoon out in the country with some fresh air. HG had a ball playing on scooters, exploring the house, and swinging on the tire swing- big ole time in the country!

First high school football game (that I can remember?) After the game, HG and Suzanne were giving the team high fives as they ran past the stands to the locker room. High energy is an understatement! Think she was excited to see Worth?? Drawing at Glo’s (who she sometimes calls Nana like Worth and Grace Ann) Meeting Baby William. He’s a dream- never made a peep- or even woke up, for that matter! Leighton and HG are just a few months apart and got into all kinds of {fun} trouble! She was DYING to hold him and did a great job of it. The horse tire swing was a huge hit. And this is no surprise after a wild day…

Doughnuts with Daddies

Since it was “D” week at St. Agnes, Mrs. Gossett and Mrs. Blaizel organized Doughnuts with Daddies for HG’s class on Thursday afternoon. When John told HG on Wednesday night that he was coming to her school the next day, she was elated. What she didn’t know was that he was two days away from the end of his company’s fiscal year end, and this couldn’t have fallen at a worst/busier time for him. But that sweet daddy was there with bells on and had HG take him on a tour of her classroom- show me your cubby, your table, etc. He said several little girls came up to her and gave her a hug, and he was happy to see her interacting with her buddies. After some play time and snack time with doughnuts, the school day was over, and John and HG came outside to meet me. I was tickled pink to see this view as I pulled up to school!

Bubba’s First HGT Soccer Game

Look who came to cheer on HG at her soccer game this week!!! Coach Christy said she was so excited that Bubba came to watch her. :)

Teddy’s Birthday

We celebrated a BIG birthday for Teddy last night! Helen Grace made him a card with a family portrait ‘To Teddy’ and signed her name. When she gave it to him, she told him she drew it ‘because she loved him.’ Luckily, she was oblivious to all the teary eyes in the room and kept right on with her spiel. She had lots of cuddle time with Baby Addison who is getting more and more interactive, fun, and mobile. Addy even got in on blowing out the candles this year!

Happy birthday, Teddy!

Disney on Ice

Friday night, we enjoyed a girls’ night with the Coats and Words for Disney Princesses on Ice. This year, the princesses were Ariel, Rapunzel, Merida, and Belle, so there were some familiar acts from last year, as well as some new ones. Despite the pouring down rain, we really had a fun time with lots of special treats- much to the chagrin of mama’s wallet!

Sallie Key and Helen Grace before the show started, enjoying their cotton candy and crowns HGT and AMC mesmerizedAriel was new this year, and her act was AMAZING. This was as good of a posed pic of the two of them that I could manage. And I got suckered into a snow cone too…peer pressure! Belle was pretty neat too, especially the costumes.

Reading her Bible Book

After bath time one night last week, Helen Grace found my Magnificat on the counter and started “reading” it. I missed the first part where she was reading about Jesus being “on land,” but I thought all of you would be happy to know that you could expect a “sticker” from Jesus if you are really good! Out of the mouth of babes!

Toohig Tidbits

When we walked outside one morning, she looked around at our neighbors’ houses which she said were ‘asleep’ (because no one was outside), and she said, “I’m the lucky one because I get to go to school, and school is FUN!”

She got to go to the treasure box at school last week! It seems that one other little girl was the first to gain 16 stickers, and then HG and three other kiddos were in the next group to make it. She chose a FROG. Mrs. Gossett said there was no talking her out of it. She was determined to take home that frog. :)

She and I have talked a lot about what to do when someone picks on her. There haven’t been any truly mean comments, but just stuff like ‘your lovie is stupid,’ etc. That gets her in a tizzy, of course, so I’ve been trying to tell her to just blow them off and not let them bother her. There is so much more happy stuff in her life to think about! She told me the other day that someone said something like that again, and I asked her what her response was. “You don’t bother me!,” she laughed. Success!!

She likes to look at pics of Pocahontas on my phone while watching the movie in the car. One time, she showed me a pic of Pocahontas in a tiny bikini, and I flipped out and took the phone from her. The next time she asked to look at the pics, she said, “When I see Pocahontas’ belly button, I’ll skip the picture, ok?”

We play show and tell. All. The. Time.

It’s neat to hear what they are talking about at school coming out in real life. She and Grandma were talking about the two sets of twins in her class and how the girls look exactly alike. HG was insistent though that, “Grandma, we are ALL different on the inside.”

HG was playing outside with Granddaddy at Swanky’s one night while Spiffer and I were finishing up dinner. She put GD, as the “baby,” on the inside of the wrought iron fence, and she opened the gate and said to him as the mommy, “I’m going to go to Target, but you have your phone so just text me if you need me.”

Enjoying favors from Alaina’s birthday party Girls love their cupcakes- HG, Caroline, Libby, Camille, Alaina  We stopped by Humdingers to get a gift card, and my girl insisted on tilapia and corn on the cob. Baby Addison came to HG’s soccer game to cheer her on! Cuddles with Daddy Let the record show that she was NOT sleepy. “Ice skating” in her soccer socks before her game She’s pretty smart to figure out a way to avoid the bathtub. Granddaddy and Spiffer surprised her one day after school and took us to Jerry’s. She was pretty proud of her cherry tongue. Pirate Day at school She went to the dermatologist with me. I had to have a mole removed, and this girl came out with a crown from the treasure box. Life isn’t fair!We stopped by to see Grandma after school. While she had to do an x-ray, HG had fun playing at her desk.

This child is now counting to 10 in French. It’s unbelievable. She also will throw out a little “comme ci, comme ça” in appropriate context and with a shake of her hand.

Playing hopscotch on Spiffer’s rug