Preschool Performance

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Scout LOVES school.  Whenever I pick him up, he says, “Yep mom, I love it…I love my school!”  I am so glad that he loves it so much.  Here he is, at his very first preschool performance where he sang some songs for us.  I’ll admit that he can get a little tentative about performing, but came out of the gates running.  He sang the first song with gusto — and was easily the loudest, which made his mama so proud!
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He did shy up a bit in the next few songs, and when he had to actually say his name during “Higgledy Piggledy Bumble Bee.”  Overall, he did a really great job.  Icka was mesmerized, and said she wanted to go to school with Scout after she saw the little show!  Of course she would want to go and perform!
Every time I pick him  up, I go through the four rules I give him.  Not a day has gone by that he didn’t Choose The Right, Follow Directions, and Respect His Teacher.  But many days he has come home to tell me that he forgot to “Do Something Nice For Someone Else”.  SO I have given him some ideas of what he can do, and that I do expect him to go out of his way each day.  So after the preschool performance, and as we were walking out, he was SO excited to tell me, “Mom, I did something nice today!”  I was so pleased, and he told me that he found something he liked about someone else and told them.  So apparently he told Riley that he “liked his cool shirt”.  I was so proud of him going outside his little comfort box and doing something to make someone else feel good.  He is such a good boy!

Skilly and Scout

About every time I get to my camera these days, I have a dozen or so pictures on it that feature two little narcissists named Skylar and Scout.
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Skylar is usually smiling or making some “surprised” look, and Scout usually goes for the “cool guy”.
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I think this on is supposed to be “candid”.
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No wonder my camera’s settings are always off!  Hence my many blurry pictures.   Glad to know that Scout is manhandling my other camera.
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I even have proof!
Weasels, but I love their quality time together.

Happy Birthday Micah

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Cancun was our birthday stuff this year.  But don’t worry, Micah still made out like a bandit.  We spent Saturday at his parent’s house for a celebration.  Then on Sunday, I made a huge birthday dinner for him and Grey who had his birthday two days before.  (For the record, it was my first attempt at roast and mashed potatoes, and I hit it out of the ballpark!)  And then on his actual birthday of the 26th, my mom took him shopping to get him whatever he wanted.  We headed to South Coast, and up until the time when we left, Micah was a little anxious.  Shopping is not his thing, and he even pulled out catalogs and a Sharpie to mark stuff the night before.  When I asked him what he was doing, he said, “It isn’t like I can just go to the mall and walk into a store and not have any idea of what I want.”  I think that is funny.  Browsing is part of the experience — right?!  Anyway, we headed out, and hit up Nordstrom, J. Crew and Banana Republic.  He didn’t do too shabby, and actually turned into a good shopper.  Maybe even too good!  We had to drag him away to get dinner.  Then we headed to Indian food for dinner and it was yummy.  And finally, we ended up at the Tackalacks to show B. Tacky (who had been waiting on pins and needles all day long to see what Micah got) the loot.  We got approval, and Micah was floored at B. Tacky’s knowledge of every item we pulled from the bag.  He knew every detail — where it was purchased, the name of the item and the price.  We were dying!
Happy Birthday!
XOXO
Can’t wait until you shave that pretty little face of yours!

“Humble”

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I don’t know where Scout picked up on the word “humble”, but he has been putting it into full use lately!  But the best, was when I was telling him that when we say our prayers, we need to really think about what we say instead of getting in a habit of becoming redundant.  So one night, he really changed it up a bit when he unfolded this little gem –  “Please help the humble hearts to soften the sickness.”  He literally took about 30 seconds to get it out because he was trying to come up with words to finish his sentence.  I was dying!  Tristen and I were both dying!  I then explained that his prayers didn’t need to be fancy, just thoughtful.  So now he frequently talks about our “humble food” and our “humble home”.
This kid is great!

Not Too Slick

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Icka’s favorite saying lately is, “Don’t see me.”
So when she doesn’t think I am looking:
I see her pick her nose and eat it.
I see her sneak a candy necklace she isn’t supposed to have.
I see her bite her fingernails and toenails.
I see her take five brushes instead of the one I told her she could get.
I see her sneak out of bed.
I see her climbing Nonnie’s shelves to get licorice she has been forbidden from.
You get the idea.
But she would be way better off saying, “Mommy, mommy, mommy, mommy” a thousand times, because that is when I am really good at tuning out!

Nursery Rhymes

Scout knows most of his nursery rhymes by heart thanks to Nonnie who has recited them to him since he was born.  Somehow Icka fell through the cracks, and doesn’t know any.  So in an attempt to get her up to speed, I have been working with her after we drop Scout off at preschool.  It goes a little something like this:
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Mommy:  “Twinkle twinkle little ______”  (I pause while she fills in the blank)
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Icka:  “Not star.”
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Mommy:  “How I wonder what you ________”
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Icka:  “Not are.”
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Mommy:  “Up above the sky so ______”
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Icka:  “Not high.”
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You get the picture.
Oh yeah — that’s how she slipped through the cracks.

Running Late

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I have never been known for my time management skills.  But even when we are running late, Scout gets his morning prayers in.  How sweet is this little boy!

Dress Ups

I’ve said it before, and I will say it again.  I am a huge sucker for costumes.  So when Britni came home from her month-long stay in Utah with treats for my kids….and they were these awesome capes, I was in love.  Scout got a dragon slayer/knight in shining armor cape, and Icka got a princess one which she paired with her Belle dress.  Icka went in to put a little princess make up on, so I told Scout he could go and put some face paint on with my eyeliner.  He came out looking good.
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Here is his pose to show off his cape.
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Icka’s cape was off because it was a little too high on the neck…….
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And I didn’t want the rest of my entire eyeliner pencil to get all over it.
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Introducing the fiercest dragon slayer who ever lived, and the bearded princess he protects.

Personality Plus

Nonnie was saying how it was going to be really hard to make a yummy dinner without a kiss from Icka.  When Icka just stared her down, Nonnie shrugged her shoulders and went walking.  Then Icka ran after her and yelled, “Come here you little stinky head” and then she planted one on Nonnie.

FHE

Scout has patiently tried to fly a kite with his dad for over a month now.  Unfortunately, there has been no wind, and they can’t seem to get a kite going.  So for family night, we headed to the Salt Creek hill — where there is always wind.
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The Tackalacks and later on the Packers joined in on the fun.
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Scout was able to fly a kite the whole time, and was in heaven.
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Icka was even in on the action — until Broccoli (or should we call her BOSSoli) wanted to take over!
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So she moved on to sweet little Auggie.
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B. Tack got innovative.
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Sissy got caught in the ropes.
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And Scout almost got lost a billion times, as he ran like the wind to keep his kite up.
Disclaimer — Notice all of my pictures that are blurry.  I’d like to thank my kids who like to open the lens cover to my camera and put their grimy little fingers all over the lens.  Unfortunately I caught it too late this time around.