Lucky guy!

It's coupon selling time in Tennessee. Every fall the schools have a fund raiser selling coupon books. It's a hassle when you have a lot of kids. Well, Connor is my only child this year who even asked about selling coupon books. He kept asking me about it daily and I kept putting him off. He explained that if he sold 5 books he would get to spin a wheel and maybe win $1.00. Oh boy! Well, I finally reminded him to sell one to his grandmother and he turned that money in on Monday. THEN, he came home from school on Tuesday and tells me "mom, I've got to sell another book! They are having a drawing for a 50 dollar bill for anyone who brings in money for a sold coupon book, but it's just tomorrow!" "Ok", I think, "I'll indulge him." So I tell him I haven't bought one yet and to call Grammy and see if she wanted one this year. She did, so he brought in money this morning for 2 sold coupon books. Well guess what?! He won the drawing!! His principal called me at the end of the school day and tells me she has good news and wanted to know the safest way for the 50 dollar bill to make it home. You've never seen a more excited young boy than Connor coming in the door with his prize money! What a lucky guy!

Happy 9th Birthday

Tanner, Sydney and Connor enjoyed having their birthday on a Saturday this year. It's just not right to have to go to school on your birthday. I started making them chocolate chip pancakes at about 8:00 in the morning. When it was ready I called them in for their birthday breakfast. Tanner looked a little hesitant and tentively asked, "mom, um, I just had a really big breakfast so I'm really full....but, um, does that make you sad?" Tanner then got to celebrate by going to get a flu shot because he missed getting the flu mist at school.

This year was the 1st ever separate girl and boy parties. Sydney had wanted just a girl party for a few years and I had not gone along with the idea mainly because it just didn't seem right to celebrate their birthdays separately and because it's double the work. I have to say it was so fun to see Sydney in her element at the "groovy pad" with hair, nails and makeup done, dancing with her girlfriends.

The boys were equally as happy with their star wars movie party at home. Success all around!

Phone talking

If you've been tried calling our house lately and gotten a busy signal there is good chance it is because of this little girl:

Sometime last school year Sydney started talking on the phone. All of a sudden she needed to talk to her friends that she had just seen at school. At first we thought it was just a passing thing, but no. If I don't pay attention Sydney will easily be on the phone for an hour! Is this a normal thing for an 8 year old? How old were you when you started talking on the phone? I know I was older than 8!

Connor = Costumes

Connor loves to dress up. Even when he was little I remember him piling on hats, gloves, or whatever was handy.

When Connor received a Davy Crockett costume for his birthday last year it basically became his lounge wear. As soon as he got home from school he would go put it on, as well as his coon skin cap of course.

You can currently find Connor in some form of a jedi costume. It usually varies from day to day, capes, pants, belts, tunic, and light saber. He had been having to improvise lately and use a Harry Potter cape until Grammy and Grandpa bought him a real Jedi cape. It cracked me up tonight when David took the kids outside to shoot some basketball to see Connor dressed up like usual. (Last week I missed the opportunity to take a picture of Connor dressed up throwing football in the front yard.)

He really would prefer to keep some sort of costume on when he is at home. If we are running errands I'll usually let him stay in the force-like clothing, but there are times when I draw the line. Some months ago I had told him to go change before we left to go somewhere and he came downstairs in a very overstuffed long-sleeved shirt and pants on. Hmmmm.... "Connor, didn't I tell you to go change?" "Um, Well, I did, see?" "Connor, you can't just put clothes on top of your costume." "Oh."

Two is company

About 6 years ago when Tanner and Connor got their "big boy" beds we put them on opposite ends of the room hoping that this would discourage them staying up late talking and goofing around.

As you can see from the pictures this strategy never worked.

And who can forget their "I'm really afraid of the dark" stage. We found them on the bathroom floor where the light was on.

Connor always ended up in Tanner's bed unless they were just dead tired. A few months ago we did some spring cleaning in their room, pulling the beds off the wall to dust and vacuum under them. While they were pulled out the boys asked if they couldn't move their beds together. I thought I might as well since they've pretty much slept in the same twin bed for the past 6 years anyway. At least now they can sleep in their own beds but still be close enough to talk....right?

I was wrong.

I guess some habits are just hard to break.