The tickle tooth

For the past week Faith has been scared to pull out her tooth. I was sure that she would lose it in her sleep and swallow it or in her food. Two nights ago she cried for 45 minutes because she was scared to pull it out. Despite my best effort to comfort her and pull it out she fought and fought me. I guess she was going to have it her way. This morning while eating her English muffin she said she felt something hard in her mouth. It had fallen out in her mouth. I'm hoping that since it just fell out so easily that she won't be so scared next time. Her front top teeth are loose now and will be next. On the way to school she said that she was sad that her tickle tooth was out. Whenever lip itched she could push her front tooth out and itch the place on her lip. Too funny!

The new Apple I pad

Yep, I got an Ipad for my birthday. I love it for my scriptures and manuals at church. I can flip to whatever I want in just a matter of a few seconds. Faith loves it too. She gets to use an Ipad at school every so often for word work but she likes to use mine for other stuff like multiplication, fairy costume wear, and telling time. She will often take random pictures with or make a random movie with funny faces. It is cute to look back in the photos and see what she has been up. On Saturday she took pictures from the backseat of the van as we drove to IKEA. She captured the road, a semi and me sitting in the front seat with my feet on the console. We like to take pictures of ourselves together because we can flip the camera function to view us from the screen. We take funny shots with the photo shop where our faces are scrunched, squeezed and smooshed. Even when we take a video of us we can capture a picture and keep it in our photos. I love the Ipad and look forward to getting all my books onto it for school. I started back to school full time today. It's been 8 years but I feel that there is more to do with my life and I look forward to learning more and becoming an example to my children about the process of lifelong learning.

Bummer!

Faith's friend from 1st grade, Ellysa, has moved to a new house in a nearby town. What that means is that she has chosen to attend another school; one in which she can ride the bus to with her brother. Faith was pretty bummed but after talking to her mother we realized that they should keep in contact. Bethany, her mom, had called me early last week to arrange a play date. Ellysa would first have to go to her soccer pictures followed by a soccer game. Little did we realize that Ellysa would play soccer in the rain and begin to feel a little under the weather. The news arrived about 30 minutes before she was set to leave and Faith was devistated. Not only would she not get to visit Ellysa's new house she would have to wait a few more weeks to see her. Ellysa is a great girl and I hope that they grow up to be good friends.

Spirit week

The homecoming game was last Friday which meant that Spirit week was the word of the week at school. Faith enjoyed every day last week with fun ways to dress. Monday was Red, White and Blue day, Tuesday was pajama day which by the way she got very hot in gym class, Wed. was mismatch day, Thurs was sports team day, and Friday was school spirit day. Faith wasn't quite sure how to mismatch. She started off with a pair of blue jeans and a purple t-shirt, mismatched socks and mismatched shoes. I explained to her that no one could see her socks and she may want to change it up a little. We talked about patterns on clothes so we chose the polka dot skirt, zebra leggins, pumpkin sock, Silvermist fairy sock, tennis shoe and recycled shoe along with a butterfly striped shirt. She was so excited to see her ensemble. I guess she just can't mismatch yet. I know, it does take a certain about of talent to be able to do that. I do it often just because it doesn't matter to me as to whether my clothes are of the same color. I've been known to wear a purple t-shirt and green skirt with tennis shoes. It is fun to make a statement in our wardrobe.

Gator times

Faith is getting enjoyment out of Champ's new gator from Pa Pa. Today Champ picked her up in the driveway from the bus stop. He drove her around the house all the way back to me at the tree. She was excited. After trying to get Tucker onto the bed of the gator I gave Faith the leash, told her to hold onto him, and then told Champ to go. Tucker jumped out of the front of the gator and onto the grass with Faith tumbling off backwards with him. She laughed and carried on for a few minutes while she was licked on the face by the dog. She loves it when he gives her kisses. I do too because I know how much she loves him. I love this picture of Faith and Champ. She has her hands choking around the neck all the while giving him a kiss on the cheek. He is not into kisses these days so it was great to capture the moment.

Listening to that small voice

I don't blog about many occurences in my life unless they relate to my children as each of these blogs that I do are about their lives. However today's blog I have to write about listening to the holy spirit. I feel that this is a very important gift that we are given by Heavenly Father and if we consistently listen and follow the promptings of it, we are sure to be blessed. My morning started off typical. I took Faith to school followed by a visit to the dog park with Champ and Tucker. I came back home and decided to have Andma watch Champ as I had several things to get at Petsmart and didn't want the extra help. For some reason, I shopped alot while at Petsmart. I set out to just get some shampoo for the cats and dog along with flea medicine, but something made me shop longer and buy more than I had intended. Little did I know that another senior citizen man would be put in my path on the way back home. I was almost to my turn when I noticed a elderly man up ahead of me walking with five bags of groceries. No one was stopping to offer any help to him. It was as I approached him that a voice said, "Stop, pick him up. Stop, pick him up." I know what Bud would say, "Are you insane? You don't pick up strangers." But he was elderly. Maybe he only had a short walk, maybe he had a long walk. However if no one would stop and ask him how would anyone know to help him. I listened to the voice and turned around. Pa Pa once told me a story of how he drove by a man one night and picked him up. He later realized that he was an angel. As I approached the man I asked for God to keep my safe. I asked him if he needed a ride. I told him that it looked like he was carrying a lot of food to be walking. He said he was going another mile or two ahead. I couldn't let him carry all this all that way so I told him to get in and I would give him a ride. He said, "God Bless you." Was I the angel that Heavenly Father placed in his path that day like Pa Pa had in his path that night? Turns out that his car was in the shop and they wouldn't give him a ride back home. He had already walked atleast a mile and a half when I picked him up. I know that I was blessed by following the promptings of the holy spirit. We are called to serve one another and help each other out. This life is so tough sometimes and if we all just showed a little more compassion and understanding for our fellow brothers and sisters the world would be a nicer place to live. Let us look at the world around us each day and look for ways to serve. Let us be like the good samaritan who stopped to help the man in the road as all the others walked past him. Blessings poured out over my soul as I pulled away from that man's house. Tears filled my eyes knowing that I helped someone and listened to that small voice that calls out my name. That voice protects me and guides me each day and I'm thankful for all the love that Heavenly Father has for me and my family.

First day of second grade

With much apprehension building within Faith as school draws near, today it came to a peak as she officially entered into second grade. Faith only knew her teacher's name as she walked through her classroom door today. She was greeted with a handshake, a smile and a young friendly teacher. It turns out that Faith thought that this teacher she had been given was known as the meanest teacher in the school but she quickly realized that it couldn't be her teacher because she was too nice. Faith has several friends in her class from last year's first grade however non of which were her friends last year. We are all hoping that she will find that special friend however I have a feeling that she will look for her old friend Ellysa when outside playing on the playground. Faith couldn't forget to hug her first grade teacher as she walked by her room today. She says she can't wait to hug her tomorrow. Faith really grows to love her teachers each year and by the end of the year she is like their little daughter. Faith was excited she was chosen to be the teacher's helper today. It makes her day much more pleasant. She loves to help at school. Why oh why is she not that way at home? Her teacher's name is hard to pronounce as she is called Mrs. Nordquist. Maybe Faith could just call her Mrs. like Junie B. Jones calls her teacher because her teacher's last name is too complicated. She had a super long day as she also had her first day of gymnastics team practice from 4-7pm. She literally got off the bus, changed into her leotards, ate a quick snack and was picked up by Andma. It was a fun day but long. I look forward to tomorrow night when we can hang out around the house and celebrate my birthday.

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park

Our family spent last weekend in Traverse City, MI enjoying some much needed time away from the hustle and bustle of what we call life. With school just days away from starting, Andma took Tucker for the weekend and we headed north. Northern Michigan is such a beautiful area. I would love to visit this area when the leaves have changed and the weather has cooled. We spent two nights on our mini vacation in the cold Lake Michigan, building sand holes on the beach, climbing sand dunes 400+ feet above Lake Michigan, swimming at the hotel and just enjoying some peaceful time. We definitely had a great time and were able to get close again. Bud is often traveling which leaves the kids and I behind to duke it out with each other. Prior to our mini vacation the kids and I had been together for two straight weeks. Yes, this time away was needed by all.