Captured.

I captured this heart-warming conversation between my oldest daughter and my Husband on IM last week:

Tatiana:

Good morning Dad how are you?

Dad:

Morning tati I'm OK. How are you?

Tatiana:

I'm OK

Dad:

what r u doing?

Tatiana:

Eating breakfast and IMing u.

Dad:

wow! u r talented. have i told u how special u r?

Tatiana:

I think so

Dad:

just want 2 make sure u know. i love you but more important Jesus loves u

Tatiana:

Good. When do you get you'r paycheck?

Dad:

well deposited a check 2day will have another maybe 2mrow or monday

Tatiana:

Ok cause i was thinking tomorrow if you get the check we can go somewhere for dinner tomorrow.

Dad:

sounds good 2me

we have to check with mom 1st

Tatiana:

Alright i gotta G-o because Spud wants me to play outside with him.Bye

Dad:

K. LOVE YOU

It cracks me up that Daddy is trying to convey his love and talk about Jesus, while my daughter just wants to know about Daddy's paycheck!

We're Rich!

Almost 5-year old after sock sorting: Mom, we must be rich.

Me: Why do you say that?

5yo: Because "rich" is when you have a lot of something like money or, ya know, socks.

Me: (laughing) Yes, I guess it would seem that way!

A Tasty Motto

:: Life is short........lick the bowl!::

Friday Funny

Seems like every Friday my schedule gets disheveled & I'm unable to make some "creative fun". I'll be sure to fit that in this weekend though. In the meantime, here's a funny:

Tatiana: Can I have some chocolate milk, Mom?

me: Sure. Get out the stuff & I'll make it for you.

Tatiana: {gets out necessary ingredients} I made a nice display for you, Mom.

me: ???

Tatiana: You know....in case you want to post about it on your blog.

And here's the evidence:


Guess that falls under the "you-know-you're-a-blogger-when" category. Hope you enjoy some good laughs this weekend!

The Abc Game

On our way to an activity yesterday, Tatiana and I were playing the ABC game, the one where you pick a topic then take turns with the letters of the alphabet naming something in that genre that starts with that letter. Of course, topic number two was Food. My foods went something like this: Asparagus, Cantaloupe, Eggplant, Grapes, Ice Cream, Kale, Mango, Okra, Quinoa {yes, even I can't believe I thought of a "Q" food}, and so on. Tatiana's went something like, Banana, Ding-dongs, Hotdogs, Jellybeans, Nuts, Popsicles, etc. It was just so comical how, according to my foodie nature, I picked somewhat exotic items and my seven year-old picked, well, more kiddie foods.

P.S. Any foods start with X?

thirty-one

In honor of my birthday {yesterday}, here's 31 randomish things about me.

1. I love Chai. The spicier the better.

2. At one point as a child, our family had a dog, a cat, a bird, and some fish. I think might explain why I am a NO-pet household.

3. I have a thing about spoons and forks. I like the smaller ones, not the dinner sized ones. If the spoon is rounder, as opposed to elongated and pointy, that's a bonus. I always go for those first in my utensil drawer.

4. My mom's due date with me was Valentine's Day.

5. I've never tried Brussel Sprouts.

6. I've visited 5 different countries, including this one.

7. I can be very forgetful. This is why re-runs are perfect for me. I can never remember who-dunnit.

8. My first car was a silver Toyota Corolla.

9. It's been 8 years since I've flown anywhere.

10. I love being near the water, as in big lakes or the ocean. There's just something that makes me feel so small & God feel so big that is both energizing & calming at the same time.

11. There's a spot in my quadriceps muscle that has been twitching while I'm writing this. It's driving me crazy.

12. I *heart* berries. Strawberries. Blueberries {semi-frozen with sugar & cinnamon}. Blackberries {with vanilla ice cream}. Raspberries {my grandma used to grow red & orange ones}. I've even had gooseberries {grandma grew those too}!

13. There were 13 steps leading to the basement in my childhood home. I'd always skip one. Something about 13 being unlucky.

14. I got my first speeding ticket at 29, even though I'd gotten pulled over about 6 times before that {different reasons}. I guess the po-pos can only let you slide so many times.

15. I wrecked my first car {see #8} when I was 17. Then I got my beloved red Pontiac Sunbird. It was a two door coupe with a spoiler & a neon license plate holder. Golly, how I miss that car.

16. I almost got stuck in a booth at Red Lobster once. I was probably about 8 months pregnant. Thought I was gonna have to use some of that lobster butter to slide myself out....

17. I've never been TP'ing.

18. I've never smoked a cigarette. Not a one.

19. I learned how to cashier when I was about 8 years old. My great-aunt owned a White Hen Pantry {convenient store} where my mom worked. I had to stand on a milk crate to reach the buttons.

20. I've broken one bone, my collarbone {see #15}. Coincidentally, Hubs broke the opposite collarbone in a bike accident, so we have semi-matching lumps from where the breaks healed.

21. I used to love eating raw instant oatmeal. Cinnamon & Spice. When I was a kid, I just started using less & less water to intensify the flavor, until I was eating it dry. Weird, I know.

22. When I was in 4th grade, my private school went on a "field trip" to visit historical sites. We went to Independence Hall, the Smithsonian, Arlington National Cemetery, the Vietnam Memorial, the Capitol Building, and the White House. I missed meeting President Reagan by one day.

23. My maiden name is CANARY. {It felt really weird to type that.}

24. I used to be a figure skater. It's something I wished I wouldn't have given up. I was even asked to join a precision team. Why I didn't want to is beyond me.

25. I'm a gift card saver. I get them for holidays or special occasions & wait months and months til the perfect time to use them. I still have a gift card from two Christmases ago waiting for its perfect moment.....

26. I hate driving at night. I think it has something to do with not having binocular vision. Add rain or snow to the mix and I'm just a nervous wreck.

27. Romance by Ralph Lauren is my signature scent. It was my "something borrowed" on my wedding day & I've been wearing it ever since.

28. After getting married, I had 5 permanent addresses before having what I now call home. I hated moving so much.

29. I used to be a night owl, especially when I was learning to knit. I would knit until 12 or 1 am. Now I go to bed before 9 pm. Hopefully once my nausea goes away, I'll be able to stay up longer to have more time with Hubs or for crafting.

30. I love checking the mail. Some days that's the only time I ever leave the house. I especially like getting sales ads, greeting cards, and magazines.

31. I never in a million years thought I'd have 4 kids at age 31. I never even imagined having 4 kids. Guess God had other plans.

And since it's not too often that I post pictures of myself, here is one of the girls and I doing some pre-birthday baking:

Solitaire

And the things I've learned from it.

You know. The one-person card game.

I play a LOT, since it's on my cell phone & I can play lying down.

I play Vegas-style scoring. It costs $52 to deal a hand.

You get $5 per card you move to the top. Ten cards gets ya $55.

That means you're up 3 bucks.

You don't have to win the game to get ahead. If you win the game, you'd get $260, but that doesn't always happen. By gaining just a little at a time, it'll take you longer to have a nice chunk of change, but you're still moving forward.

Life is better when played with others. There's a place for solitaire, but I much prefer a lively game with many players.

Better slow & right, than fast & wrong. Sometimes you're flipping through the cards so fast, you make silly mistakes or miss an obvious move that you could've made. If you're going particularly quickly, it could take you a few flips from the stack before you realize the move that's been staring you in the face.

Sometimes you gotta get creative. The solutions aren't always obvious. You might have to move a couple cards here, a couple cards there to unearth a card that you need.

And lastly, it's not over til it's over. You might think there are no moves to be made, with only one flip from the deck left, but that last card might just be the one card that makes winning the game possible.

Say What?!

Me: What kind of dress do you think you'll want for your birthday party?

Tatiana: Maybe like a brown one with pink polka-dots. {One she already has.}

Me: No, not that one, maybe something new.

Tatiana: Well, definitely a beautiful one.

Me: OK.

Tatiana: Yep, you better make it beautiful or else I'll make you and dad... *spoken in a sneaky secret whisper* ...talk about your marriage.

Uh, guess I better get to sewing something beautiful.

Weekend Fun

Here's a little weekend fun. I made this mosaic from flickr photos using the instructions here. You search flickr using the answers to a dozen questions then choose a photo for each answer from the first page of results. I opened the mosaic maker here in a separate page to make it easier to copy & paste the photo links. This is the mosaic that the answer to my questions produced:


Let me know in the comments if you have a blog and decide to give this a try! Have a fun weekend, ya'll!

You Get Used to It

I've found, that whatever circumstance you're under when it comes to parenting, you get used to it. If you work outside the home, you get used to only having the kids around for a few hours at night and on the weekends. By Sunday night, you're ready to go back to work on Monday {or at least that what's people in this situation have told me}. If you homeschool, you get used to having the wee ones around most of the time. That's your norm. It kinda makes me chuckle when moms whose kids GO to school are pulling their hair out during the long summer days of having the kids home all the time. They just have a different norm. If your hubby works long hours, you probably get used to it, not having him around as much, doing what you can to manage most things on your own. If your hubby works from home, you get used to that too, an extra pair of hands for helping or another set of eyes to keep on the kiddos for a second. Until....

WHAM!

The rug gets pulled out from under ya. Yep. Ask me how I know. Tomorrow hubby is going to be taking his mobile office on the road as he will be going out practicing to get his CDL. He already has his permit, but needs hands-on training. Bummer for me. So I guess I just need prayer that I'll....

....get used to it.

P.S. I sent my mom an email that included this which you may find funny too:

Hubby leaving home + monthly cycle + 3 kids = crazy wigged out mommy

But I'm sure I'll get used to it.

ABCs of Me

I stumbled across this at Confessions of a Craft Addict & was in the mood to play along. So here we go......

Accent: Nope. Although when I visited out east a loooooong time ago, they thought I talked funny. I really don't think Midwesterners have any accent to speak of though. {Sidenote: when I read the word "accent", being the crafter that I am, I first thought of "embellishment", ya know, like room decor, not a funny way of talking.}

Book that I like: Just one? Any cookbook really. Especially ones with straightforward recipes & amazing photography.

Chore I don’t care for: Most of them. Maybe I should stick to the short list of chores I DO like: vacuuming, wiping things {weird, I know} cooking, baking. Hey, I'm sure some people consider those last two to be chores!

Dog or Cat: Neither. I am anti-pet. It might sound terrible, but I'm kind of glad in a way that our fish died last weekend. It was the girls' pet, but guess who was taking care of it. {Is it okay to admit that?}

Essential Electronics: my cellphone, a computer {any will do}

Favorite Cologne: I like nearly any mens' cologne. I love it when Rick wears cologne!

Gold or Silver: Silver.

Handbag I carry most often: I don't have too many handbags {now totebags are another story}, so I just try to rotate them to something befitting of the season.

Insomnia: Sometimes, yep. Especially if I took a long nap during the day or had too much caffeine {for me, one regular pepsi around dinner will keep me up til 2 am}!

Job Title: Domestic Engineer

Kids: Tatiana {Tats} 6 1/2, Sienna 3, Sebastian {Spud} 5 1/2 months

Living Arrangements: Honey, the kids, and my hobby supplies live together in rural Northern Illinois

Most Admirable Trait: I really have no idea. {Suggestions?} I'd like to think it's genuineness. I am who I am from the moment you meet me. I don't try to impress you or be someone I'm not. I really care about people. When I ask, "How are you?" I'm truly interested in the answer.

Naughtiest Childhood Behavior: Being super mean to my brother. Things like convincing him he was adopted & giving him a bloody nose by kicking him in the face come to mind. I have been living a lifetime of remorse for these things......

Overnight hospital stays: Three related to delivering babies. A two night stay and a one night stay for severe stomach flu & I did sleep in the hospital for 5 nights when Tatiana had her appendectomy.

Phobias: Probably fear of heights.

Quote: I am aware that I am less than some people prefer me to be ... but most people are unaware that I am so much more than what they see.

Religion: Christianity, although I like to think of it more as a relationship/journey, not a "religion", which makes me think of a set of prescribed rituals and practices

Siblings: One younger bro.

Time I wake up: As late as the kids will let me. Usually between 7 and 8 am.

Unusual Talent or Skill: I can't think of anything unusual. I will say this though. When I was a teenager, my friend Jessica and I used to see how many cherries we could put in our mouths at one time AND de-pit. If you swallowed the pit, then of course it didn't count. I could do 15.

Vegetable I Refuse to Eat: Brussels sprouts. Beets. Cauliflower. Cabbage. {Mostly cruciferous vegetables, although I *love* mustard & horseradish. Weird, I know.}

Worst Habit: I bite my nails when I'm nervous or under stress. I didn't always do this. It started when I was pregnant with my second daughter & somehow the habit just stuck.

X-rays: I think I've only had one: when I broke my collar bone in a car accident.

Yummy Stuff: Fresh french bread with sweet butter. Crustaceans. Freshly baked cookies chock full of goodies. A grilled ribeye. New York style cheesecake. Fresh berries & cream. I love just really good simple food.

Zoo Animal I Like Most: See answer to dog or cat. The only reason you'd find me at a zoo is because the kids like going there.

Anyone else want to play along?

Are you a DASH? Then we MUST be friends!

You Are An Exclamation Point

You are a bundle of... well, something. You're often a bundle of joy, passion, or drama. You're loud, brash, and outgoing. If you think it, you say it. Definitely not the quiet type, you really don't keep a lot to yourself. You're lively and inspiring. People love to be around your energy. (But they do secretly worry that you'll spill their secrets without even realizing it.) You excel in: Public speaking You get along best with: the Dash

What Punctuation Mark Are You?

Oh Deer!

a.k.a. Birth Story ~ Part 1

Technically, IT hit US. On Tuesday, December 4th, season six of the TV series 24 was released on DVD. Once hubster remembered this fact, he was on the horn with our nearest Blockbuster reserving us a copy of the first two DVDs. Of course the weather was.....blizzard-y. Nonetheless, we all piled in the car and trekked the 7 miles to retrieve the DVDs. This is *so* reminiscent of last winter when we were driving through snowstorms to various Blockbusters to rent the 24 DVDs. We didn't mean to get hooked on Jack Bauer, it just sort of happened. Hubster casually mentioned wanting to see the show, so we rented season one. I barely paid attention to the first few episodes, as I was in The Knitting Zone, but finally, I couldn't help myself. But, I digress. As we were traveling down the road, we suddenly spot "a six-pack of does", as hubster puts it, near the opposite edge of the road. We weren't driving too fast, maybe 40 mph. He starts honking the horn. The first doe darts across the road. The rest of the does start to follow. Hubster tries to manuever the car between the pack & is somewhat successful. He makes it in between the first and second doe, but we don't quite clear the pack and that second doe slams into the rear door of the driver's side, right where my two-year old was sitting. I shriek. Hubster tells me to stay calm. I say, "You probably killed him!!" Hubster tries to convince me that the deer just has a mild concussion. My Braxton-Hicks get stronger at this point. The rest of the way Sienna keeps asking various questions about the BANG-BANG {the noise the deer made when hitting her door} and whether or not Sebastian would be scared of it. We get the DVDs and watch the first two episodes. {Wayne Palmer as president? Whoda thunk it??} The next morning, I woke up in early labor.

We blame it on the deer. I can't actually say that "we hit a deer" because, like I mentioned before, technically IT hit US.

P.S. Welcome to my newest reader Mon who has been reading from the beginning and commenting on old posts! I will answer your cooking question as soon as time allows

Reindeer Games

Thanks to Saralyn for providing this little diversion while I am still "waiting". I *love* Christmas! It is definitely my favorite time of year. So here goes:

1. Do you put up a real tree or artificial? Artificial; We have *never* put up a real tree. Too much hassle.

2. When do you put up your tree? Normally around the first weekend in December. I usually do most of the decorating, so whenever I'm feeling froggy. This year though, we all put it up together on the weekend after Thanksgiving.

3. When do you take down the tree? After the New Year

4. Do you like eggnog? If yes, spiked or not? I don't dislike it, but would probably like it better if I tasted it homemade instead of store-bought.

5. Favorite gift received as a child? I honestly don't know. I remember getting two Cabbage Patch Dolls & the game Mall Madness that I was really excited about.

6. Worst Christmas gift ever received? Hubby's first gift to me while we were still dating. He built it up to be something wonderful, something I needed, and something that would make me think of him whenever I used it. I, being the woman that I am, was hoping for something sentimental. It turned out to be a cordless phone. We laugh about it now.

7. Favorite Christmas movie? I like the Miracle on 34th Street remake with Dylan McDermott. And I'm not sure if you consider it "Christmas-y", but Rick & I both really like The Family Man.

8. Have you ever recycled a present? Yes! Mostly gifts for the kids...

9. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Really fancy or comforting meals like Prime Rib or a big Ham with all the trimmings. Gingersnaps always leave me feeling festive too though.

10. Favorite Christmas song? don't have one

11.Most annoying thing about this time of year? Crowds & the over-commercializtion of a Holy-day {especially among "Christians"}

12. What you love most about the holiday? I do appreciate all that Christmas represents, but I also really love the festiveness of it all, the opportunity for family traditions, gathering close with loved ones, decorations, music, and Christ's Spirit in it all.

13. How many reindeer did Santa have? 9.

14. Best Christmas memory? The childhood excitement of Christmas Eve and the delight of waking early to find my stocking full of goodies ~ Me too, Saralyn!

15. If you could have one Christmas wish what would it be? That Christ would come to the hearts of all my loved ones ~ Ditto again.

I can't wait to see what ya'll enjoy {or dislike} about Christmas as well! So I will tag Alicia, Beth & Erin! Happy Reindeer Games!

Black Friday

This post is also known as, "The Ridiculously Extreme Measures I Will Take to Get a Great Deal on Fabric."

I guess I was in denial about how many people would want to get a killer deal on flannel {99 cents a yard}! Is flannel really THAT popular? Apparently it was either denial or ignorance. After a really great night of sleep, I woke up feeling well rested, despite my alarm clock not being set to go off until 7:30 am. Good thing I didn't wait for that alarm or I would still be at JoAnn's waiting to get my fabric cut. I make the 40ish minute hike to the JoAnn Superstore, stopping at Panera beforehand to fuel up my tank. I arrive at JoAnn's about 7:30ish. Parking lot seems pretty full, but plenty of spaces left at the back & no need for excessive circling. I score a spot near the front. YIPPEE! I get my cart & start looking around. Humph. Out of probably 200 or so bolts of flannel, there are about 15 left on the shelf. I notice everyone's cart is filled to overflowing with flannel. Seriously people, what are you doing with 20 bolts of flannel? I start to develop my flannel acquiring strategy. I do some more looking around. Check back for the flannel. Humph. Still nothing. I notice A LOT of people waiting to get fabric cut. I think that I am so smart, but really I turn out not to be that I will take a number NOW, then do more looking while I am waiting for my turn at the cutting counter. My number is 87. I actually check back at the ticket machine because at this point I am in disbelief since they are serving number 23. Here's where the denial really sets in. I look around some more. I pick out some beads for a little gift for my mom. I look at Christmas fabric. I notice there is a bin where they are putting the recently cut fabric {mostly flannel in there} where I can scoop it up before it goes back on the shelf. I score some cute circus flannel & some owl flannel. I keep going back to the bin & the shelf. I acquire several solids and a jungle flannel {destined for a crib sheet}. I decide to "hang out" in the pattern cutting area. It's quiet. Plenty of room & seating. I get thirsty & help myself to a bottled Dasani from the front cooler {of course I paid for it at the end}. I start to panic. I have a 11:15 doctor's appointment in Woodstock. I start weighing the importance of going to the doctor versus getting my good fabric deals. Yes. I am that crazy. It is now 9:20 am and they are only on number 26. Yep. Moved up 3 numbers in one hour. My logical brain now starts timing the number calling. I realize that the likelihood of me delivering this baby BEFORE my fabric gets cut is extremely high. I walk around a little more. I notice another line near one side of the store where they usually cut the upholstery fabric on the really big bolts. I approach the counter. "Are you calling the numbers also orrrr..................???" "Oh, NO. We don't have a ticket machine. You just get in line." I feel a mixture of dumb luck and guilt. Lucky that I figured out this little "secret" line, yet guilty that I will probably get my fabric cut before the some people that have been waiting longer than I have with their tickets at the other counter. I get in line. I am about 8th. I meet a really great lady in her early 60's, who turns out to be my fairy shopping godmother. She gets me a chair from the pattern area so my 45 week pregnant belly I can sit down while waiting. She gets me another water bottle. She pushes my cart. I hope the Lord blesses this lady's pants off today. The way she treated me, a total stranger, almost brought me to tears. Seriously. The kindness of a stranger can be very overwhelming. {Or is it just all the hormones?} I continue to calculate the rate my line is moving. I start to feel relieved as I don't think I will have to abandon my cart after all to make it to the doctor's office on time. After waiting in this line about 1 1/2 hours, I get the fabric cut. I feel badly for the people in the other ticketed area as they are only calling number 70. I would still have been waiting. I wait in line for the checkout. Giddy excitement again, when the line up at the front moves QUICK. Too bad I get the putsy kid who can't read my fabric ticket and has to type in each one by hand, then blaming me, scans my coupon before he has rung up all my items & now I am not getting the discount on that part of my order & he can't fix it so he has to start ALL OVER AGAIN. I would've made it to my appointment on time if it weren't for that checker. I call ahead out of courtesy to let them know I will be late. I arrive at the office & everything is right with the world again. Hey, a girl's gotta get her good fabric deals when she can!

Note to Self: When you are 37 weeks pregnant, do NOT drink TWO water bottles & then expect to be able to hold it for 2 hours. If you try this you will be very uncomfortable & will barely be able to walk because of all the pressure.

P.S. I am one centimeter. I was praying for more, but I guess it's better than 0.

Tagged!

I was tagged by Erin to expose share eight random things about myself. So here they are:

1. I was born with one crossed eye. It couldn't move anywhere & was permanently looking inward until I had corrective surgery at 15 months. I had to wear an adhesive patch {kinda like a round band-aid} on the opposite eye {AARGH Mateys!} for several hours a day for years. The patches even came with little stickers so I could decorate them. Now the eye has overcorrected itself & I have a hard time looking people in the eye with both eyes at the same time. People don't realize that I'm talking to them or turn around to see who I am speaking to. It is actually very frustrating & kinda embarrassing. So, yeah, I'm talkin' to YOU!

2. I have been sleeping with a body pillow for the last 6 years, since I was preggo with my first child. I can't sleep well without it. I take it with me whenever I spend the night somewhere.

3. I have NEVER tried a brussel sprout or an oyster...or a cigarette for that matter. NEVER.

4. I have been out of the country 6 times: four times to Mexico, once to Jamaica, and once to Guatemala.

5. I didn't receive my first speeding ticket until last year. I was more upset about the fact that my record was no longer "perfect" than I was about the expense and hassle.

6. At the moment, I am addicted to ice. No. Seriously. I think it has to do with the pregnancy hormones. I'm sure this can't be good for my teeth. I fill up my glass 3/4 full with ice & just add a little of my beverage. The ice is best when it has been sitting out for a bit & softens up some. I like smallish slightly crushed ice best. I have even asked for it as a separate cupful in the drive-through. Yep. I'm weird.

7. While babysitting the girl next door, when I was about 12 or 13 years old, she was hit by a car. We went for a little bike ride down our street. Literally only about 2 houses down from where we lived. There was a car coming, so we all pulled over to the side of the street. I, with her little sister on one side, and she had pulled over to the opposite side. I said, "Stay there." Of course, at the last minute, she decides to cross to my side of the street. Thankfully the car wasn't going that fast, but still. The ambulance was called & she checked out fine. Let me know if you need someone to watch your kids next time you and husband go out ;>)

8. I enjoy memorizing and reciting lines to movies. Mostly my favorites like "While You Were Sleeping", "Sweet Home Alabama", "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" and "You've Got Mail". I'm sure this really annoys some people, but that's me. I especially love all the witty banter in You've Got Mail. Although lately, when something goes wrong at home, hubster and I say to each other, "Why, oh why, didn't I take the blue pill?" {from one of his faves}

Most everyone I know has already been tagged. So I guess all that's left to say is... don't you love Illinois in the fall? "I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if only I knew your name and address."

Just for fun

I took a quiz here to find out what color I would be if I was one. Here are the results:

you are plum #DDA0DD

Your dominant hues are red and blue. You're confident and like showing people new ideas. You play well with others and can be very influential if you want to be. Your saturation level is low - You stay out of stressful situations and advise others to do the same. You may not be the go-to person when something really needs done, but you know never to blow things out of proportion. Your outlook on life is bright. You see good things in situations where others may not be able to, and it frustrates you to see them get down on everything.

the spacefem.com html color quiz

If you take the quiz & post the results on your blog, leave a comment so I can check out your "color". Happy Thursday!

P.S. 35 days left to go.......

Our Family: Defined

Tatiana, my six year old, loves to count and recount the people in our family, especially since we are expecting a baby boy. She will tell me how many girls we have, how many boys we have & how many people total. {I think all these addition math lessons may have something to do with it too!} Last night in the car, she went a step further & "defined" each family member giving him/her a special name:

"We are going to call you {meaning me} rester." At least she didn't name me ol' yeller.

"I will be homeschooler." I was fascinated that this is what she used to define herself. I wonder if she feels like she is "different" because of being a homeschooler.

"Sienna will be sucker {since she loves to suck on her blankie corners for comfort}."

"Sebastian, {our unborn son} we'll call kicker." I thought this definition was particularly cute!

"And Dad will be worker." She has "defined" us all before, but Dad is always worker.

So that is my family, as defined by my daughter!