Does this dress make me look fat?

Mooka thought Lady needed a party dress for the big day.

Teaching toddlers to pray

We have been working with the kids for quite some time teaching them how to pray. After thinking about it, I have decided to start documenting some of their more memorable moments.

One that happened quite some time ago, but is worth repeating came from Mooka. We had told her that she needs to talk to Jesus about things that she is thankful for and not always focus on what she wants. Immediately afterward, she prayed this prayer:

"Dear Jesus, thank you for making me so beautiful. Amen."

Then tonight it was her turn to pray before dinner.

"Dear Jesus, thank you for mommy and daddy. Please let the teachers give me a good prize at church for my birthday."

At least she's honest.

Visual DNA

Found this little ditty on a blog today. I thought the results were interesting, though I've never considered myself as much of a dreamer. It's a fun little test if you have 5 minutes to spare. If you take it, be sure to come back and comment so I can give my own personal assessment.

New neighbors

I've never been the neighborly type. Outside of the common courtesy and occasional "hi", we just have not built connections with our neighbors.

Until three weeks ago...

We now have the most amazing neighbors a person could ever ask for. They have twin girls who are Mooka's age. We could not have hand selected better neighbors. It seems like instantly we all formed a connection and ever since we have spent a ton of time together.

Neighbor Mom and I sit out in our chairs in the front lawn for hours and watch all of the kids play together. It's like watching a commercial for the perfect subdivision. Kids are laughing, riding bikes, coloring the drive ways with sidewalk chalk, you get the picture. We also offer our fair amount of commentary about the neighbors, but that's a whole other story.

Here is a picture from Barbie madness last weekend...



And girl power...

Parenting lesson #352

There is no such thing as preparing for professional pictures. The more you ask "show me how you are going to smile", the funnier it gets.

Honey, show me how you are going to smile for your pics tonight.



Very, funny. Let me see your real smile.



If you smile pretty, we will ride the train at the mall.



MOOKA - show me a REAL smile!



Okay, I'm being SERIOUS, let me see how you are going to smile.



If I let you take your own picture, will you smile pretty?

Tic...tic...tic

It's coming.

I can't stop it.

In three short weeks, my baby girl will no longer be a toddler. She will be 5 and an official "kid." I'm so thankful that she has a late birthday and missed the cut off for kindergarten this year. Some of my mom friends have experienced the "first day of school" this year and they have done so with such grace. I don't even want her to turn 5 let alone turn her over to school.

The whole experience is much like one of my favorite books from when I was a kid, The Monster at the End of this Book. In the book, each time you turn the page, poor Grover goes into complete hysterics because you are getting closer to the end of the book and well, there's a monster there. I won't ruin the ending for you, but you get the idea. For me, I wake up and I go into hysterics because I'm one day closer to her birthday.

I know nothing really changes, but at the same time everything is changing. I just want her to stop growing up so fast. I know I haven't grown up as much as she has in the past five years.

Pray for me...it's going to be a rough few weeks.

Humor and a very late night

The other night I came across this little diddy and it may be the funniest (but yet most accurate) depiction of parenthood. It gives those wanting to pursue parenthood a little trial run that they can complete prior to actually taking the plunge.

The parts where I absolutely lost it:

Grocery Shopping

* Go to the supermarket. Take along the nearest thing to a pre-school child: a fully grown goat. (If you plan to have more than one child, take more than one goat.)
* Buy your weekly groceries without letting the goat(s) get out of your sight.
* Pay for everything the goat eats or destroys.

Cleanliness

* Smear peanut butter on your sofa.
* Smear jam on your curtains.
* Hide a fish behind the stereo. Leave it there all summer.
* Stick your fingers in dirt. Rub them on your walls.
* Color your other walls with crayons.

I hope you enjoy this as much as I did!