tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-147388612024-02-18T20:43:33.068-05:00Caroline's BlogThe life and times of Caroline.Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06430957960085044934noreply@blogger.comBlogger108125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14738861.post-17384832679983867342011-01-25T20:34:00.002-05:002011-01-25T20:39:54.471-05:00Laptop!!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#6600CC;">I am posting this on my daddy's laptop because I feel like it. It is totally awesome. I already posted a post today, but I kinda got bored...it is almost my bedtime. C ya l8er!!!!!</span>Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06430957960085044934noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14738861.post-11828847570165730032009-05-07T12:17:00.002-05:002009-05-07T12:25:20.003-05:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYyugcRFSb6vD_4-c2Ta-jGRNt8laD27ooswSF5irDlqdJI2-kY3iQZUZbedt1mhOl_9ZIJfNvnkgcIbabbrII_kQ15mxR_cSwu3bDNLrTlFPusmsMF-TFrTyvhpo9JcNhq_aX/s1600-h/DSC01809.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYyugcRFSb6vD_4-c2Ta-jGRNt8laD27ooswSF5irDlqdJI2-kY3iQZUZbedt1mhOl_9ZIJfNvnkgcIbabbrII_kQ15mxR_cSwu3bDNLrTlFPusmsMF-TFrTyvhpo9JcNhq_aX/s320/DSC01809.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5333133870812292450" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">One eye to the microscope; I love the face contortion!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuY5FHU9APzWmjxYtHehn4p03RDwXIk6u_19fizR4dGX6jvVCbbP49N6DkaUpaIrdxeInzSvY65qakBnaGAY32YPwk0MGEeESYYYUHyUb5slo20onCnRWvuwWTv1r1b8TRoZHZ/s1600-h/DSC_0677.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuY5FHU9APzWmjxYtHehn4p03RDwXIk6u_19fizR4dGX6jvVCbbP49N6DkaUpaIrdxeInzSvY65qakBnaGAY32YPwk0MGEeESYYYUHyUb5slo20onCnRWvuwWTv1r1b8TRoZHZ/s320/DSC_0677.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5333133863933547554" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">By the end she was skating on her own and having a great time!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEN_XzxcKfTh0Ss65IJV9-nOD8fhF2_T6eGbMb0GumANzB12WERvTBQws8JVR6mE6eiWThJKQK6Cf6rKCZUHXO_c9m-Ev1q4bJjR5d7y9EqXp6cRTeP1g-vC0lhvgArxmoDC05/s1600-h/DSC_0662.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEN_XzxcKfTh0Ss65IJV9-nOD8fhF2_T6eGbMb0GumANzB12WERvTBQws8JVR6mE6eiWThJKQK6Cf6rKCZUHXO_c9m-Ev1q4bJjR5d7y9EqXp6cRTeP1g-vC0lhvgArxmoDC05/s320/DSC_0662.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5333133859650761506" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Not hanging on the wall, but hanging on to Mom. Getting braver!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpy-l6WQqqxdF0W46hinTlwiOTfstuI6Ylu_AWQi3dLdrd5k5-Cgdh5Ds6K_Ia8PJ-BTK9hkqh6QohjpSQuLlxuZPOqmsQ_jA7sGCNhpVVu-Kt6MdQ243kjz3ZIVXKy3HVP6rr/s1600-h/DSC_0643.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpy-l6WQqqxdF0W46hinTlwiOTfstuI6Ylu_AWQi3dLdrd5k5-Cgdh5Ds6K_Ia8PJ-BTK9hkqh6QohjpSQuLlxuZPOqmsQ_jA7sGCNhpVVu-Kt6MdQ243kjz3ZIVXKy3HVP6rr/s320/DSC_0643.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5333133857635769650" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Just starting out ice skating at a Girl Scouts event - hanging on to the wall.</div>Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06430957960085044934noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14738861.post-13371290637273920842009-03-13T15:10:00.002-05:002009-03-13T15:11:40.798-05:00Something I hope to instill -<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;">"My riches consist not in the extent of my possessions but in the fewness of my wants."</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;">~J. Brotherton</span></div>Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06430957960085044934noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14738861.post-42473785239614580442009-03-09T09:26:00.002-05:002009-03-09T09:36:18.831-05:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6WVqRLUpPkhfCHcI-P5vYMpaIjefjkBfquvCpPSanNYd9pH5X1aGVMmxSewQmEzMHN-O5Z0gAom0kBTrEfylzrRIHCLv7v17gqKWCS4iivPU5TzEAkMn1XJU3Nv53vRd2xfHS/s1600-h/DSC01795.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6WVqRLUpPkhfCHcI-P5vYMpaIjefjkBfquvCpPSanNYd9pH5X1aGVMmxSewQmEzMHN-O5Z0gAom0kBTrEfylzrRIHCLv7v17gqKWCS4iivPU5TzEAkMn1XJU3Nv53vRd2xfHS/s320/DSC01795.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5311194727768079122" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Caroline and Sophie at the class Valentine's party.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfIkpgEK1As7_BYby2kqHGUVLkzsPCEGn7Gx_Vpo1zklJiP8i7WHB6W0d180wEEsw_LIBRu7kiFDNCEjeurRgVmnkCYrRl1KQZ4rlxtaVfEici55pq0j-tAbABxF2k-kJ98ZCE/s1600-h/DSC01788.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfIkpgEK1As7_BYby2kqHGUVLkzsPCEGn7Gx_Vpo1zklJiP8i7WHB6W0d180wEEsw_LIBRu7kiFDNCEjeurRgVmnkCYrRl1KQZ4rlxtaVfEici55pq0j-tAbABxF2k-kJ98ZCE/s320/DSC01788.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5311194719472070706" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">So proud of her penguin diorama project - she got an A!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWEIJGgkqt3dIDVWNYiqzA-kKuZSHBL6uo0D04htj91RPLm4PNWy8gW8H1KcavxrNxU3u2iGjYqNkCR4JHrbMJ4vIuLkMkZY9blRYmMXnmdU0Cz2ell-hAzYsRyQhY9iqQSxOS/s1600-h/DSC01775.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWEIJGgkqt3dIDVWNYiqzA-kKuZSHBL6uo0D04htj91RPLm4PNWy8gW8H1KcavxrNxU3u2iGjYqNkCR4JHrbMJ4vIuLkMkZY9blRYmMXnmdU0Cz2ell-hAzYsRyQhY9iqQSxOS/s320/DSC01775.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5311194716667872258" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Clowning around while shoveling some of our pathetic snowfall.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">It's been busy times around here lately - Caroline spent lots of time outside this weekend taking advantage of the fabulous weather. Last week was Spirit Week at school, which meant a week full of "regular" clothes instead of uniforms, which makes the entire student body lose their minds. The hardest one to participate in was "Mismatch Day" just because Caroline knows which colors go together and which don't, so wearing a purple argyle knee high and a flowered knee high was very hard on her fashion sense! In her second grade reading class they have been working on book reports, which annoys Caroline. She wants to read because she LIKES it, not because she has to answer some details about it. Later this month she'll have a sleepover with one of her girlfriends, and attend the Girl Scout St. Patrick's Day dance. She'll do almost anything for the Brownies that will get her a badge.</div>Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06430957960085044934noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14738861.post-58030362378378896572009-01-26T22:36:00.003-05:002009-01-26T22:43:49.828-05:00Living With Benny HillHelp me Sweet Baby Jesus - Caroline has discovered the pratfall. Admittedly it was amusing the first time or two, but the 749th time of falling to her knees or crashing onto the sofa doesn't elicit giggles anymore. And it's always accompanied by the requisite soundtrack - AAAAAAAggrrrgh! Waaaaruuggggh! etc. Naturally she must work on this technique at a time when we have other things to do, leaving me standing there with gritted teeth saying "GET. YOUR. SHOES. ON. NOW. oryoucangotoschoolbarefoot!" And the answer is always "I really fell! It wasn't a trick!" It happens at bedtime too - <div><br /></div><div>C going up the steps: [collapse on stairs] OOOOOFFF!</div><div>M gritting teeth: Wow, you must really be tired - guess that means we can't play Scrabble before bed.</div><div>C: It was just an accident, really!</div><div>M: It's not an accident the 12th time - get moving.</div><div>C: [collapse on stairs] Oooops, I just tripped!</div><div><br /></div><div>It's not good for my dental work to sound like a harpy, but I swear the next time she's going to school barefoot.</div>Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06430957960085044934noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14738861.post-87271046655597365652009-01-08T16:48:00.003-05:002009-01-08T16:55:56.220-05:00Five Loves....Another blog that I frequently read (www.unpinkmom.blogspot.com) had a challenge to post about five things you happen to love today, outside of the obvious like husbands and children and pets. So here are mine.<div><br /></div><div>1. Hot tea. There's nothing better on a shivery cold morning like today was. I especially like fancy weird flavors like almond cookie and chocolate strawberry. (although today I just had mint)</div><div><br /></div><div>2. Bal A Versailles perfume. I've never seen a store that sells it, but James and my mom keep me supplied when I am running low. </div><div><br /></div><div>3. My crockpot. Another blog I read was all about this woman's challenge to use her crockpot every day for a year. She just completed it, but reading about the different things she tried(who'da thunk you could make Shrinky Dinks in there?!?!) made me want to use mine more. Next up, chicken and dumplings in the crockpot on Saturday! </div><div><br /></div><div>4. Bath & Body Works scented glycerine soaps. We buy them by the ton when on sale, it's just such a nice smell (particularly the cucumber melon) and I feel like they wash off better in our water that's so hard it's a solid.</div><div><br /></div><div>5. French fries. I cannot think of a more perfect food. I believe I could eat my weight in good french fries. With ketchup, with gravy (don't give me that face, it's a local thing!), whatever, it's all good.</div>Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06430957960085044934noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14738861.post-59887408926359287642009-01-06T21:17:00.002-05:002009-01-06T21:23:42.450-05:00Oh, the drama....Caroline's sixth tooth came out tonight, with a bit of help from all of us. At this point I wish I understood why it is such drama for her. So far she's swallowed a tooth, pulled out one herself, and we've done the others. But each one is accompanied by some trickery and hurt feelings. I think the problem is that as the roots of the teeth dissolve, they are very sharp and so as they loosen up they are constantly poking her and causing pain and bleeding. But no matter how many times we go through it, she is certain that it's going to hurt worse than ever and won't let us near her. James has tricked her twice (by getting her to hold on to the loose tooth and then jerking her arm to make her pull it out), and now she's just so frustrated about it she won't even let him LOOK in her mouth, let alone help.<div><br /></div><div>So this bottom lower-right tooth has been hanging on for so long that the adult tooth grew in behind it. It finally loosened up to the point that today it was hanging nearly horizontal. I told her that she simply could not go to bed with it hanging, I was afraid it would come out in her sleep and she would choke on it. So she could pick Daddy or me to help, but it was coming out tonight. Naturally this made her HYSTERICAL so once she opened her mouth to cry I stuck my finger in and simply swept the tooth out, it was so lightly hanging on. </div><div><br /></div><div>Once we celebrated and I got her to bed, I said that I was sorry for tricking her but that I was only trying to help her. Caroline said "Mommy, you didn't do anything to trick me." I said "do you think I like talking meanly to you? I knew that if I did that I could get you to cry and I could get to your tooth." After a moment of puzzled shock, she said "I didn't even think of that. You're just EVIL!" hahahahaha</div>Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06430957960085044934noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14738861.post-59685116437394322852008-12-18T22:02:00.002-05:002008-12-18T22:09:07.102-05:00Maybe a year....is about how long we have left to believe in Santa, I think. Caroline's questions have gotten more and more specific about the hows and whys. She refused to see Santa at the mall because "I know that's just a helper in a suit. Santa can't be at all the malls at once." How does Santa get all the way around the world in just one night? And there's not a sleigh in the world big enough to carry everybody's toys! How does he get in our house if Daddy locks the doors every night and we don't have a chimney? I asked her if kids at school had been "talking" about Santa, but she said no. I think my plan of action for now is to wait until she outright asks, because so far she has been content when I said I didn't know the answer to whichever question. I remember my mom telling me about Santa although I had privately had my suspicions for a bit and I wasn't damaged or unduly harmed by the deception. Heck, she still addresses presents to me from Santa! :-)Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06430957960085044934noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14738861.post-23297717534453121612008-12-16T09:18:00.006-05:002008-12-16T09:25:14.341-05:00Have a holly jolly.....EVERYTHING!<div>Yes, well, we've fallen off the blogging wagon just a bit. It's hard to keep up on this with a busy 7 year old's life! Just imagine how far behind it would be if we had more kids....hahaha So here's what we have been up to lately. This will take a couple of posts to catch up, so make sure to look at everything.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2198QH9wvOl3n5zIi6GLM7xjXUb8ScKZBjDlHIN1szLG-0Kj0q26ywAnRdX1aL_eDVSB9ylf157WrUnE5v21V1aAAPWDVY-GVNFpWVgXJEtE8G_BDjLToi6DYf7fU3T-Qii66/s1600-h/DSC01729.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2198QH9wvOl3n5zIi6GLM7xjXUb8ScKZBjDlHIN1szLG-0Kj0q26ywAnRdX1aL_eDVSB9ylf157WrUnE5v21V1aAAPWDVY-GVNFpWVgXJEtE8G_BDjLToi6DYf7fU3T-Qii66/s320/DSC01729.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280392800918955634" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">When there's a bargain at post-Christmas sales last year, Caroline gets her own Christmas tree in her room this year! </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAtzZfhzKbXOuRPF6WvKuMbzmzMhgXrrWgBNa-KZ4Otd6xtDD979Hhkt9eKuz2i0lGCJyxBHXnO4w4-nuObtJ5v7c4FXRYvVhVzK4O3NMoiC8TAdLIFYWcwA-cqVggT3Ipdtem/s1600-h/DSC01726.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAtzZfhzKbXOuRPF6WvKuMbzmzMhgXrrWgBNa-KZ4Otd6xtDD979Hhkt9eKuz2i0lGCJyxBHXnO4w4-nuObtJ5v7c4FXRYvVhVzK4O3NMoiC8TAdLIFYWcwA-cqVggT3Ipdtem/s320/DSC01726.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280392793158888898" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Caroline wanted to learn how to make scrambled eggs. And no, we didn't tell Daddy about this until he saw the picture! She needs to be about two inches taller to reach the stovetop well.</div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06430957960085044934noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14738861.post-40661673975630012662008-09-29T21:29:00.002-05:002008-09-29T21:31:06.700-05:00Thoughts on bedtime....Caroline and I were playing Scrabble for her bedtime activity tonight. As things dragged along I said okay, she could make one more word then it was bedtime. So she started digging through the letter bag to look for an S to make whatever word. <div><br /></div><div>Mommy: No, you can't do that, it's cheating!</div><div>Caroline: Mom, it's almost bedtime, it's okay to cheat.</div><div><br /></div><div>At least she understands the time limitations....<br /><div><br /></div></div>Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06430957960085044934noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14738861.post-13663105061482066012008-09-28T15:00:00.000-05:002011-09-07T22:28:19.972-05:00fun in the sunplaying outside is the best ever for me.Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06430957960085044934noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14738861.post-35741425485469782062008-09-28T14:41:00.000-05:002011-09-07T22:28:20.449-05:00sprinkler playThis summer has been fun but my favorite thing to do was play in the sprinkler mom took pictures while I jump in.Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06430957960085044934noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14738861.post-77037399176500013582008-09-23T11:58:00.005-05:002008-09-23T12:17:46.427-05:00We're BACK!A little review of some end-of-summer activities...<div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipQgO7uTewPOIWrpk52MUJLaCHELgbnLFWIL75akgBD5850q_UUzEEsD6hS4HY7jOrGaOoCe5h5Q2JapShaF9z_e1IMPKN2kxrLWsJyx0Md2TUlkI_-jPP7xT46-1W0bu2tAYO/s1600-h/DSC01544.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipQgO7uTewPOIWrpk52MUJLaCHELgbnLFWIL75akgBD5850q_UUzEEsD6hS4HY7jOrGaOoCe5h5Q2JapShaF9z_e1IMPKN2kxrLWsJyx0Md2TUlkI_-jPP7xT46-1W0bu2tAYO/s320/DSC01544.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249263530437291346" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Caroline brave enough to test out the diving board at her friend's house.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUObRiQXjSDoygeXaBid5YVAPLCnn275BvPpV4gYTtDGwTBwvCG6Oow7040FfZrBPISVGSQ7W-T7wIEdJaNOs-G-WITo8_xZNKr2XW90Sqzmirk-x0XjQnmUItoqmkYGjmJ2Ae/s1600-h/DSC01549.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUObRiQXjSDoygeXaBid5YVAPLCnn275BvPpV4gYTtDGwTBwvCG6Oow7040FfZrBPISVGSQ7W-T7wIEdJaNOs-G-WITo8_xZNKr2XW90Sqzmirk-x0XjQnmUItoqmkYGjmJ2Ae/s320/DSC01549.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249263544831411698" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">A missing top tooth</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1ANeovzdaXNdguPoYPs3jgXSdbXaSRbAT5k1TFURNzuDetaUFUnuIQ4H_TvUuWsywi0RQEtw9gIEWLJRjSA4ARM2Dg1wIMaFuLbNJ41om-zrbrJngD0ADSLif2pzy6UQQYGKZ/s1600-h/DSC01588.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1ANeovzdaXNdguPoYPs3jgXSdbXaSRbAT5k1TFURNzuDetaUFUnuIQ4H_TvUuWsywi0RQEtw9gIEWLJRjSA4ARM2Dg1wIMaFuLbNJ41om-zrbrJngD0ADSLif2pzy6UQQYGKZ/s320/DSC01588.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249263558338821042" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Playdate with her friend Maddie - they were playing fashion models</div><br /></div><div>How excellent is this wallpaper for a blog about my little pumpkin? Thanks to my friend Karri for the website that provides it and the education on how to do it! So school is back in session, we're juggling Girl Scouts, gymnastics, all the usual fun things. Caroline has adjusted very well to her glasses. Today is school picture day, which means they will be the first official pictures of Caroline with glasses and LOTS of teeth missing!</div>Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06430957960085044934noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14738861.post-34425838215956564272008-07-31T21:48:00.003-05:002008-07-31T21:50:59.894-05:00Important news!!!Yes, pictures are coming, but we had important developmental details! After many many MANY months of frustration, Caroline finally learned to tie her shoes! She had all the steps down for the longest time, but when it came time to wrap the strand around the first loop, she would grab the wrong part to pull through the hole and it would all collapse. Tuesday she practiced and practiced on the shorts she wore to gymnastics, until about 4pm she screamed "I DID IT!!!!" So I told her all about Pop teaching me to tie my shoes and how I struggled with it all through kindergarten and first grade, and that one of my earliest school-related memories was sitting in first grade with my foot up on my chair to practice and just looking in amazement when I realized that I had done it. On Wednesday we went to the movies and both wore tennis shoes, and Caroline tied all four shoes. :-DCarolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06430957960085044934noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14738861.post-89424658688917237032008-07-07T10:46:00.004-05:002008-07-07T11:00:10.520-05:00Can you IMAGINE what the rest of the summer would have been like?<div>Now that Caroline has finally figured out how to start her bike on her own, a majority of our time is spent in the front street riding her bike back and forth, going up and down the curbs, etc. Yesterday Caroline and her friend Sarah had been outside riding for hours - everyone was hot and sweaty and patience was low. Two kids that we didn't even recognize showed up riding their bikes. The little boy decided to antagonize Caroline and Sarah by riding right next to them, following too closely, etc. Caroline said something snotty to him (yes, yes, I know, we're working on it....) and he decided to punish her by crashing into the back of her bike. She panicked and let go, and her bike fell with her leg underneath it. By the time I got her up from the bike and hauled her and the bike back to the house, I was starting to believe that her left leg was broken somewhere between the knee and ankle. She screamed every time I touched the spot and could barely bear weight on it. James and I had one of those married-people-silent-conversations-with-your-eyes about whether to take her to the hospital or not, but after getting her into a cool bath to calm down and relax she was walking just fine and didn't even mention it again. The visions of the rest of the summer in a leg cast were frightening to say the least, and that was only to ME - I don't think she even thought that far! So I'll be keeping an eye out for that little fiend....</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIUSmUs6yjaR-WoKqi3WuhmolKmMokY8Yhmv50IWSjcq1FSj4toJSwSi0HCISaIdqSlnxzqko4YCSVY-8uOU5o-NvhzsKfwuuMgphHFYqTJ6IZq2ZZshsB9RTZHAQhh4vhP6fH/s1600-h/DSC_0036.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIUSmUs6yjaR-WoKqi3WuhmolKmMokY8Yhmv50IWSjcq1FSj4toJSwSi0HCISaIdqSlnxzqko4YCSVY-8uOU5o-NvhzsKfwuuMgphHFYqTJ6IZq2ZZshsB9RTZHAQhh4vhP6fH/s320/DSC_0036.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5220300150444007106" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">For being such a girly-girl, Caroline is surprisingly unafraid of crawly things. Although she did ask repeatedly "Is this a biting caterpillar?"</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVpN1zXCCKKlvaCFQENIGVrdZlD93qQ97RotegjbnzeiKfTG1IEJix0DZF_uJobA1s8mceCxC3P4_JhBSO_lHCPW_UGj1nQpTZ2TFHQMjHnyPvI40YH6D6xDPZfBCPzKquouYC/s1600-h/DSC01491.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVpN1zXCCKKlvaCFQENIGVrdZlD93qQ97RotegjbnzeiKfTG1IEJix0DZF_uJobA1s8mceCxC3P4_JhBSO_lHCPW_UGj1nQpTZ2TFHQMjHnyPvI40YH6D6xDPZfBCPzKquouYC/s320/DSC01491.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5220300160093402098" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Caroline filled an entire box herself when we went strawberry picking!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrypSBXPVBEidcodjZ6EhVYXG01g-flValfKTOtp4LqOwFjJhJH4Hi_rC2N-aAqSIdsYnHO9UzX-x6HOZRmaNK34nuy4zClIoVRLTlBKOG_NfCjcnc48Hm4mVSStf94jSTFq07/s1600-h/DSC01500.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrypSBXPVBEidcodjZ6EhVYXG01g-flValfKTOtp4LqOwFjJhJH4Hi_rC2N-aAqSIdsYnHO9UzX-x6HOZRmaNK34nuy4zClIoVRLTlBKOG_NfCjcnc48Hm4mVSStf94jSTFq07/s320/DSC01500.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5220300171233189330" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Caroline and her friend Maddie sitting in dinosaur footprints at the Science Center.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb-WV-nfY8fxspk6XArULHIoJz-tjJsAZVKgq2fuNSPPO9unMERRdasppjDaoSnuZa4eLfENALZXhtWbto712Z6HWdlrjytM8qsyDH-yg08RqzEj9lcA-zs7nj3w5LqB43hNAr/s1600-h/DSC01501.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb-WV-nfY8fxspk6XArULHIoJz-tjJsAZVKgq2fuNSPPO9unMERRdasppjDaoSnuZa4eLfENALZXhtWbto712Z6HWdlrjytM8qsyDH-yg08RqzEj9lcA-zs7nj3w5LqB43hNAr/s320/DSC01501.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5220300180589105266" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Look at the cute little dinosaur babies!</div>Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06430957960085044934noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14738861.post-64428597544344418032008-07-03T10:10:00.006-05:002008-07-03T10:40:16.826-05:00And now it's July...<div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDgnitN25FEwBeZR1H5Qc8iBu16RZbRe7c0_gLWqrGJwKqQhBTm4Y_m9_vowGJ4gKK8t77Um1CFnyMaGiCpcWoxDZEUkCPQKnu3QCbPpsaQ29KOJ19QGHCLwpPHIk8aelOSixF/s1600-h/DSC_0023.JPG" style="text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">The problem with the new computer is that it's a complete dog-and-pony show to upload new photos, or that photos James uploads aren't available to me, so it's been complicated to find the time to jump through the necessary hoops to get the photos. I'd take a PC back any day, but it will be a few years before we get another computer.</span></a><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDgnitN25FEwBeZR1H5Qc8iBu16RZbRe7c0_gLWqrGJwKqQhBTm4Y_m9_vowGJ4gKK8t77Um1CFnyMaGiCpcWoxDZEUkCPQKnu3QCbPpsaQ29KOJ19QGHCLwpPHIk8aelOSixF/s1600-h/DSC_0023.JPG" style="text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><div><br /></div><div>But here we are anyway! Since the end of school we've been to pool parties and birthday parties, strawberry picking, bike riding and rollerskating. Caroline lost her top left tooth, which was an event of epic proportions for the carrying on and shrieking. Talk about Drama Queen! She takes gymnastics on Tuesday mornings and has been perfecting her cartwheels and roundoffs. Wednesdays we go to the free movies at the mall. And she still has asked countless times, "I'm bored, when does school start again?" 62 days left...</div><div><br /></div></span><img style="text-decoration: underline;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDgnitN25FEwBeZR1H5Qc8iBu16RZbRe7c0_gLWqrGJwKqQhBTm4Y_m9_vowGJ4gKK8t77Um1CFnyMaGiCpcWoxDZEUkCPQKnu3QCbPpsaQ29KOJ19QGHCLwpPHIk8aelOSixF/s320/DSC_0023.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5218807667540787586" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Singing the class' favorite song "King of the Jungle" at graduation.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0_v3RbjaONxEkGhuzvaC8x8QUU-uPYKDjT3VAiwJtbth2-xywYmMZovPSapcCEeC9rgCFcOb93h9PqEU_B4BfsNPyljfpR8a8ym6elH6Ua8g-xsCvV754RfgXHKq-KnTGwSBX/s1600-h/DSC_0047.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0_v3RbjaONxEkGhuzvaC8x8QUU-uPYKDjT3VAiwJtbth2-xywYmMZovPSapcCEeC9rgCFcOb93h9PqEU_B4BfsNPyljfpR8a8ym6elH6Ua8g-xsCvV754RfgXHKq-KnTGwSBX/s320/DSC_0047.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5218807681326312018" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Mr. Jones the principal, Caroline, and Mrs. Shrader at graduation.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7c9Q7dV8sKYXbQB0TGEGepEFqAFxuzjiTY4kO7xqXw1uEYICkurD_Mr0Qt1-WjJEd6LcJ1zo9w44KUnV1mC1JyXqbrD0Sm9Q8XO0_tG3LeNNhJE6o7xXrqSMwXRozNOkaoRVp/s1600-h/DSC01468.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7c9Q7dV8sKYXbQB0TGEGepEFqAFxuzjiTY4kO7xqXw1uEYICkurD_Mr0Qt1-WjJEd6LcJ1zo9w44KUnV1mC1JyXqbrD0Sm9Q8XO0_tG3LeNNhJE6o7xXrqSMwXRozNOkaoRVp/s320/DSC01468.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5218807686720998706" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Riding Smokey the horse at her pal Caden's birthday party.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB6wEJLkQVGumNmr1DtaLOZkVwa-gjfs72F4MNGyS_Hy9Cx7gEgqbF51edEbRvEtH3Ax_h5FUYKCY-HGK19DSnxoVWpSSSv9e986QGMOGrQ_FgF16W8Y4tlBIa2U-96tv2oCdG/s1600-h/DSC01489.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB6wEJLkQVGumNmr1DtaLOZkVwa-gjfs72F4MNGyS_Hy9Cx7gEgqbF51edEbRvEtH3Ax_h5FUYKCY-HGK19DSnxoVWpSSSv9e986QGMOGrQ_FgF16W8Y4tlBIa2U-96tv2oCdG/s320/DSC01489.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5218807695726477362" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Strawberry picking - a rare picture with Mommy</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj7_t489b5PGyi_CQCnLLImFoPDWBmxdqsEQTD4Qq9RM4nGws2SHbwIb22On0zMos0-qwMqe_ET3CBqIQVgWbRm6Wx2MFbtOz_IF2iLOzfGEutfkqYpb1f0DM-StGElA_ir4bp/s1600-h/DSC01515.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj7_t489b5PGyi_CQCnLLImFoPDWBmxdqsEQTD4Qq9RM4nGws2SHbwIb22On0zMos0-qwMqe_ET3CBqIQVgWbRm6Wx2MFbtOz_IF2iLOzfGEutfkqYpb1f0DM-StGElA_ir4bp/s320/DSC01515.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5218810010081528162" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">On the bed of nails at the Science Center - when she got up she said "look at my back, is it bleeding?"</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAOYQkgNJZybJC28u3gwMVKmxztHqGgt4lxluG1Q202cSHSpTWZb2lW2Uh_D1TP1QguvYT-m_kUQ-ZSYMxguvEAtwjXR17Nh8cIie6aamzQ-UYA6sgwSxrwxYnoe_JYcLkGjit/s1600-h/DSC01529.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAOYQkgNJZybJC28u3gwMVKmxztHqGgt4lxluG1Q202cSHSpTWZb2lW2Uh_D1TP1QguvYT-m_kUQ-ZSYMxguvEAtwjXR17Nh8cIie6aamzQ-UYA6sgwSxrwxYnoe_JYcLkGjit/s320/DSC01529.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5218810012068262962" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Modeling her new bathing suit while playing in the sprinkler.</div>Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06430957960085044934noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14738861.post-51715126990937906732008-05-25T09:12:00.003-05:002008-05-25T09:31:49.508-05:00Oh, so far behind....<div>Yes, yes, it's terribly out of date. I know. But we've had so much going on that a blog is far down on the list. Now that school is ending and I will be with Caroline more each day, hopefully I'll have lots of pictures and funny stories to share.<div><br /></div><div>So as a recent recap of our craziness - Mommy went to Chicago; at the same time, Caroline and Daddy went on a train trip to Western Maryland. We had parties and a field trip at school, a spring music concert, and field day. Ever watched spastic 6 year olds doing jumping jacks? Fit to fall down laughing, I tell you. </div><div><br /></div><div>And we got a new computer! We have joined the Macs - shows that those entertaining commercials do work. The keyboard is thinner than your average Oreo cookie and the mouse does strange things, but the screen is huge and the big box that normally does on the floor next to the desk is now built into the back of the screen. </div><div><br /></div><div>But let's see if I can manage to post pictures with a computer that makes pictures somewhat complicated....</div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrOK0AYoqfNIPNsuZ9J2mK_YUl5T0e7F00iJxODa3pIPxCx8kr_CVFeRBk6t0JbGns8IwvjqtaOqLCgacDPqng-otcyl4uNMrW-DwIiP9SZTxCVVAdJbjc9siakVnnOGb2LnuO/s1600-h/20080503+209.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrOK0AYoqfNIPNsuZ9J2mK_YUl5T0e7F00iJxODa3pIPxCx8kr_CVFeRBk6t0JbGns8IwvjqtaOqLCgacDPqng-otcyl4uNMrW-DwIiP9SZTxCVVAdJbjc9siakVnnOGb2LnuO/s320/20080503+209.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5204322310336797970" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Caroline at the fountain outside the train station.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDkKkKjcyxKI3JOt9UxnX-QlgQ5zVMzUtK5KYn6JWkaATEquh5xYsIX92L73xvDVJUHzmBB5qX0Jok9bpNuifgS5RleobD_FcETeVZEkNqFPb1kn_ocJpTqxKdiAiyyVk2tINz/s1600-h/20080503+260.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDkKkKjcyxKI3JOt9UxnX-QlgQ5zVMzUtK5KYn6JWkaATEquh5xYsIX92L73xvDVJUHzmBB5qX0Jok9bpNuifgS5RleobD_FcETeVZEkNqFPb1kn_ocJpTqxKdiAiyyVk2tINz/s320/20080503+260.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5204322344696536354" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Here comes the train!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiED0saLzCT9Qtz1ONokVwgcgRSqlDsmDnExnXl2rrtZ2QVP6E1JklgVa-4BkIkYkPz6SmHlR_S7rCn-ENY-Z848Jxy4SxooWl0hOLllUNUnJwvGSJsW2Rm4mJwrCzHjwL30BQI/s1600-h/20080503+262.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiED0saLzCT9Qtz1ONokVwgcgRSqlDsmDnExnXl2rrtZ2QVP6E1JklgVa-4BkIkYkPz6SmHlR_S7rCn-ENY-Z848Jxy4SxooWl0hOLllUNUnJwvGSJsW2Rm4mJwrCzHjwL30BQI/s320/20080503+262.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5204322370466340146" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Okay, I'm ready to go</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjLoUdPUZJLm7tPW49hibjF_iRffJhHVm_VNkH40ICsAMz9_XSb_LMunItUyrRq67PAkjx4rjEzeCGHBxza6HkeIXwtPTHZJL0hAYymitQpuqc3NLLORMJR4dOa6R3PUz0G3hP/s1600-h/20080503+356.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjLoUdPUZJLm7tPW49hibjF_iRffJhHVm_VNkH40ICsAMz9_XSb_LMunItUyrRq67PAkjx4rjEzeCGHBxza6HkeIXwtPTHZJL0hAYymitQpuqc3NLLORMJR4dOa6R3PUz0G3hP/s320/20080503+356.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5204322383351242050" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Hey look, you can drive from the back too!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAHBeMUqclnrb3nFpHa-PH6eHeLiP1a6EYKGqb7OfZLX8e_hknfNx8iBgpySyw_q5nup4wL5F7FgrTF7bDk6yVHd8l0cJ1oXTT9n-a8Ios3-5xJHSKyD3NUrkVvJI8OTgOzAgA/s1600-h/20080514+021.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAHBeMUqclnrb3nFpHa-PH6eHeLiP1a6EYKGqb7OfZLX8e_hknfNx8iBgpySyw_q5nup4wL5F7FgrTF7bDk6yVHd8l0cJ1oXTT9n-a8Ios3-5xJHSKyD3NUrkVvJI8OTgOzAgA/s320/20080514+021.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5204322400531111250" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Who needs plastic toys? Caroline spent about two hours playing in a box filled with packing peanuts. She piled them up on herself, hid in them, checked if she could fit entirely in the box, etc. Next time we need a big box for something, we'll make sure to say a six year old size!</div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06430957960085044934noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14738861.post-63634711640159165742008-04-29T19:40:00.001-05:002008-04-29T19:42:07.984-05:00Let your conscience be your guide...<span style="color:SeaGreen;"><span style="color:SandyBrown;"><span style="color:DarkOrchid;"><span style="color:Black;"> We learned an object lesson about conscience today! In the afternoon, Caroline asked if she could have a piece of gum. I said yes, and then was talking to my mom on the phone. Caroline interrupted me to say "Mom, I did something wrong that I need to talk to you about." I thought maybe she broke a toy or hit a wrong button on her keyboard or something so I said okay hang on while I finish on the phone. But she started to sniffle and said "Mom, I REALLY did something wrong!" So I panicked thinking she painted a wall of her bedroom or broke her bedframe or something. I quickly got off the phone and Caroline went absolutely HYSTERICAL, sobbing and crying so hard she could hardly breathe. When I finally got her calmed down to make sense, she said between hyperventilating "I ate another piece of gum without telling you and now my stomach hurts and I don't want it anymore!" So once I calmed her down (desperately trying not to laugh) I told her that her stomach hurt because her conscience made her feel bad for doing something sneaky, and that she could have saved herself some upset by just asking me because since I hadn't started cooking dinner yet I probably would have let her have another piece. I said that I appreciated her being honest and telling the truth and that I hoped she would always do that because as she was seeing, quite often it wasn't something that wasn't going to get her in huge trouble anyway. But God help me, it was hard not to laugh!</span></span></span></span>Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06430957960085044934noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14738861.post-53224159112709811252008-03-25T11:51:00.002-05:002008-03-25T12:04:51.708-05:00Finally some pictures....<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuCnjtU7NADYCjMNmsQy0Ev8vYvM-DKmqtj6TPA12iGSSQqgvRaP7WVL9q6_TDPpMnLVMWKufu8ULv2CGk-t9rXT-TnrFYsr1KD_BRYIk2GCqgeZCL1Xc5Lqn54rk1Ic9DG1tM/s1600-h/20080229+012.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuCnjtU7NADYCjMNmsQy0Ev8vYvM-DKmqtj6TPA12iGSSQqgvRaP7WVL9q6_TDPpMnLVMWKufu8ULv2CGk-t9rXT-TnrFYsr1KD_BRYIk2GCqgeZCL1Xc5Lqn54rk1Ic9DG1tM/s320/20080229+012.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181725037079359554" border="0" /></a>A freak warm day in January was worthy of short sleeves and a trip to the park.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxE_ahO_0lMARKy__hijrBFwKeiTOhW5txVdK0Mxe-puumXwEhT1Ns9k7UnZlWwzLF-b9tme35fkvR43KK9uHcGQ0KngZCxnsVVOMqij9zlkm11FvdGxYO9RCel71hEjXieIvn/s1600-h/20080229+025.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxE_ahO_0lMARKy__hijrBFwKeiTOhW5txVdK0Mxe-puumXwEhT1Ns9k7UnZlWwzLF-b9tme35fkvR43KK9uHcGQ0KngZCxnsVVOMqij9zlkm11FvdGxYO9RCel71hEjXieIvn/s320/20080229+025.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181725049964261458" border="0" /></a>They made bird feeders out of cereal at school, so we stuck it on the tree out front.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGLtgQIwd4kL_oMNL_aS6O_gpzW0j_qkT4pgdmmHJGMEvf43BAN-KTxcgjm7aORvdi7s7u5wBF1230L6EPQzgyyjkf6HAKTPEeefCsw6U1K_boElKzOK0gvaYFX5dOSg5hF4th/s1600-h/20080229+046.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGLtgQIwd4kL_oMNL_aS6O_gpzW0j_qkT4pgdmmHJGMEvf43BAN-KTxcgjm7aORvdi7s7u5wBF1230L6EPQzgyyjkf6HAKTPEeefCsw6U1K_boElKzOK0gvaYFX5dOSg5hF4th/s320/20080229+046.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181725071439097954" border="0" /></a>Playing bingo at the school Valentine's Day party.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj913eksMTSxlZIBes0JThqr7K4j1sdg4zVGX_NIwvYquzwAHUAN6NIw7E73pnjjMvDz3YSWaGQhWLPsJqtY7Upb99iwD5AzQzCSuFzgiNev87xUafQRABGftolee9wwIocKdJg/s1600-h/20080229+049.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj913eksMTSxlZIBes0JThqr7K4j1sdg4zVGX_NIwvYquzwAHUAN6NIw7E73pnjjMvDz3YSWaGQhWLPsJqtY7Upb99iwD5AzQzCSuFzgiNev87xUafQRABGftolee9wwIocKdJg/s320/20080229+049.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181725084323999858" border="0" /></a>Blissing out on chocolate fondue for Valentine's dessert.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSS5f3893K3THrMJI9N7iO3m8Pe0hLjulH8mqG8nYe0qNPr43gjeHxwK4Wly0OeZ-idieuPRvKEBrQAkdlYDTGcCyne_RxMrxRNaojRWEjdjLuY-d9BA2KGhKOiiqXj1CzLPVE/s1600-h/20080229+056.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSS5f3893K3THrMJI9N7iO3m8Pe0hLjulH8mqG8nYe0qNPr43gjeHxwK4Wly0OeZ-idieuPRvKEBrQAkdlYDTGcCyne_RxMrxRNaojRWEjdjLuY-d9BA2KGhKOiiqXj1CzLPVE/s320/20080229+056.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181725101503869058" border="0" /></a>Daisy Scouts award ceremony - Caroline has become a complete badge hog and will participate in ANY activity if she hears it will earn her a badge for her vest!<br /><br /></div>Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06430957960085044934noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14738861.post-42067878320761317902008-03-19T07:54:00.002-05:002008-03-19T07:57:21.685-05:00Hammie Sleeps Alone.....I can't believe it, and I still might cry. Last night Caroline slept WITHOUT Hammie the Pig for the first time ever since she was 7 months old.<br /><br />We went to the dermatologist yesterday about her recent excema (eczema? I can never remember how to spell it!) flare up and an itchy rash in her elbows. He confirmed that she has VERY sensitive skin and said that the thumb she sucks is also coated with excema. I said oh, I thought it was just dry skin - he said dry skin doesn't look like THAT, and that any stress on her immune system (like being sick) or on her skin (like constant immersion in her mouth to suck) will cause it to flare up, and that she HAD to stop sucking her thumb in order for that to get better.<br /><br />So when he explained the skin medicine to Caroline, he said it was for her thumb (and under his breath to me he said "and the excema patches that flare up") and that using it would help her to stop the thumb sucking. He said she should sleep with a glove or sock on it to make sure the medicine didn't get in her mouth because it could make her very very sick. So from the time we left the doctors at 9:45am until bedtime at 7:30 she did not put her thumb in her mouth even once. As we were getting ready for bed, she handed me Hammie and just looked at me. I asked what was wrong, and she said she thought she probably shouldn't sleep with Hammie, because being with Hammie made her want to suck her thumb, and she didn't want to do that. So she decided to put Hammie on the book shelf next to her bed, wore her striped mitten to bed, and that was it. She cried for a few minutes, but we talked about some good stuff happening this week, and picking out a reward if she made it for a whole month (new rollerskates), and how big and strong she was to deal with this now when she knew it was good for her. She slept all through the night fine and woke up a bit early this morning to come show us that she didn't take the mitten off all night. I'm so proud I could die!<br /><br />(and yes, I know it's been a while since I posted pictures - Blogger has been having some hissy fits with posting pictures and I don't have the time to keep trying. I'll get some here as soon as I can!)Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06430957960085044934noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14738861.post-79324112269040153792008-01-14T18:13:00.000-05:002008-01-14T18:16:02.152-05:00The moment every mother dreams of....but NOT!We were discussing dinner plans for the evening, and Caroline was very happy when I said I was making one of her favorite dinners - roast beef with gravy. I said that we were going to have french fries (necessary for dipping in the gravy!) and green beans. Caroline said "can I have extra green beans instead of fries?" While I tried to figure out which group of pod people had overtaken her, I complimented her on good food choices, gave myself a pat on the back for good parenting, and was generally proud of all of us.<br /><br />Until she said "your fries are okay, but I like the ones from McDonalds better!"<br /><br />Sigh....Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06430957960085044934noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14738861.post-20498731049487798042008-01-03T11:49:00.001-05:002008-01-03T12:22:50.218-05:00Finally!Don't fall over in a faint, it's actually a blog update from us! As you know, our entire month of December is a mad house and so updating the blog falls far behind baking and wrapping and cooking and partying. I'm sure you can forgive.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA9m7UlppqfheNVIjI7FIKfKtPBir9d26lZdvAjACtJl1-NvHyukfiKRo4w67MkVo-Q2bnx2d3S3O_t1yE3CBQl0ld9vsJCSi1yyCoALD3v0V78_WSmdOM4Zb6J0dE1kXzuWQ5/s1600-h/20071211+001.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA9m7UlppqfheNVIjI7FIKfKtPBir9d26lZdvAjACtJl1-NvHyukfiKRo4w67MkVo-Q2bnx2d3S3O_t1yE3CBQl0ld9vsJCSi1yyCoALD3v0V78_WSmdOM4Zb6J0dE1kXzuWQ5/s320/20071211+001.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5151298406389782754" border="0" /></a>Our first, and so far only, snow of the year. Caroline is modeling all her new snow gear (jacket, snow pants, boots, hat, gloves - we needed the WORKS this year!)<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">So I'll start from the farthest back - Caroline's birthday! Now that she is attending a school that lets you do fun things, her birthday was a big deal to celebrate at school. We made cookies to share with all of her friends at lunchtime, and the teacher had everyone sign a construction paper "cupcake" and sang Happy Birthday to her at the morning meeting.<br /><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcSF7bHT-3p6CcqsMo78ej12mht9_zOlAZxyjOHwEZt4kbvcX65d2SGTBmrX3f_BiQerjDFqhkn6dHWZtkfsEJVKiV4KOiT1EP2pbw8JgpDOeg3uC3XT26q7vp3Pksdimz3oli/s1600-h/20071211+010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcSF7bHT-3p6CcqsMo78ej12mht9_zOlAZxyjOHwEZt4kbvcX65d2SGTBmrX3f_BiQerjDFqhkn6dHWZtkfsEJVKiV4KOiT1EP2pbw8JgpDOeg3uC3XT26q7vp3Pksdimz3oli/s320/20071211+010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5151298453634423026" border="0" /></a>Her birthday was also gingerbread-house-decorating-day, so I got to go help out.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9tlCOBoTX53X6iuDEWbyawZqMi8hhzSyvSoJCWtEeI3qVO_BD-66YfYLSZe7EvcfdnoVIAN20oyn87vMrkbjhxdNojfJwjXGu8emjklyYBA8KMmBzcFC5EmLfaKND3nNN83Hl/s1600-h/20071211+037.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9tlCOBoTX53X6iuDEWbyawZqMi8hhzSyvSoJCWtEeI3qVO_BD-66YfYLSZe7EvcfdnoVIAN20oyn87vMrkbjhxdNojfJwjXGu8emjklyYBA8KMmBzcFC5EmLfaKND3nNN83Hl/s320/20071211+037.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5151298475109259522" border="0" /></a>Her party at the Pottery Loft with friends. Caden was "the only dude here!", but we assured him that in ten years or so he'd be telling all his friends about the time he was the only guy in a room with 10 girls and be a complete hero.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnsCouAWoOnOQY4BmpitAI3wXbdqlEvM8QPs48fU-5ezSPEXa04ctZloorq_XW58N_R0YkWM4uHb0gGwVaZiEwB693B-z0uws71-tY1NhOvG6BDdxr6PDEHY6peG8QwaHAW0ET/s1600-h/20071211+040.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnsCouAWoOnOQY4BmpitAI3wXbdqlEvM8QPs48fU-5ezSPEXa04ctZloorq_XW58N_R0YkWM4uHb0gGwVaZiEwB693B-z0uws71-tY1NhOvG6BDdxr6PDEHY6peG8QwaHAW0ET/s320/20071211+040.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5151298522353899794" border="0" /></a>Her lovely birthday cake - they made icing flowers just for her!<br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrNNUQEmWiatAx9XaE7DI-0o1LaFp_m45gSrFY8i6NWYUxNLtUF__YFc1UVBn-Q4YkBiTPh5y5ClWILEoJoWXNx1Lcx03x0j5gSya-sTWdEd3YLOOR81TltBtuOtDlOsau4UpU/s1600-h/20071211+048.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrNNUQEmWiatAx9XaE7DI-0o1LaFp_m45gSrFY8i6NWYUxNLtUF__YFc1UVBn-Q4YkBiTPh5y5ClWILEoJoWXNx1Lcx03x0j5gSya-sTWdEd3YLOOR81TltBtuOtDlOsau4UpU/s320/20071211+048.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5151300820161403170" border="0" /></a>Everyone singing Happy Birthday - note the fall-down-able steps behind us? Caroline and I both slipped at various times. Bruises all around.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcJ73oRk_BKiqtUMtSEjacSNIVNvDFDNdyqDnyYAtn_NrUXrymC3L9lDs6bLoYB040ukS-boWSz24pZIThElPPkHJXt_cOOqFmr3PJbQZazwVUDe94_EeJD_cL-EN32jv8yLJR/s1600-h/20071211+052.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcJ73oRk_BKiqtUMtSEjacSNIVNvDFDNdyqDnyYAtn_NrUXrymC3L9lDs6bLoYB040ukS-boWSz24pZIThElPPkHJXt_cOOqFmr3PJbQZazwVUDe94_EeJD_cL-EN32jv8yLJR/s320/20071211+052.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5151300837341272370" border="0" /></a>All the birthday friends - Kelsey, Abby S., Erin, Sarah, Caroline, Marina, Erin, Caden, Maddie, Jamie and Abby B.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Next up, Christmas!<br /></div></div>Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06430957960085044934noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14738861.post-53344273108812647802007-11-27T19:43:00.000-05:002007-11-27T20:05:33.682-05:00Disney pictures and other stuff<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8YUFgRAYHCvfO0EWaKuGtNrCZkF3UlNR3FZJaRzdGJ7WyJLoNgZxguDuLSSEE3lzbaKvC1lw-Lg8TnCWBCstO8hY82W_5kziH6GNbESQGyHZvlxzuyKMLfeYOBTHYDP-Xp8wX/s1600-h/20071109+020.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8YUFgRAYHCvfO0EWaKuGtNrCZkF3UlNR3FZJaRzdGJ7WyJLoNgZxguDuLSSEE3lzbaKvC1lw-Lg8TnCWBCstO8hY82W_5kziH6GNbESQGyHZvlxzuyKMLfeYOBTHYDP-Xp8wX/s320/20071109+020.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5137687915889048786" border="0" /></a>Playing around at the hotel<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbgteU-JIFWF5oX-kDwX6mt0FZWoNTR_u6Ol9zNarw_v7IxeWSmsko1zn1Uvz2GBtUXnvMasxwIxN5hB_7n-K4kIaBWrb_hMXphoPDMYAzYCo3MTDY9sO_jZRQtMCEyfHbroL0/s1600-h/20071109+060.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbgteU-JIFWF5oX-kDwX6mt0FZWoNTR_u6Ol9zNarw_v7IxeWSmsko1zn1Uvz2GBtUXnvMasxwIxN5hB_7n-K4kIaBWrb_hMXphoPDMYAzYCo3MTDY9sO_jZRQtMCEyfHbroL0/s320/20071109+060.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5137687933068917986" border="0" /></a>Having lots of fun!<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7GujqL7_A_xhymNbnrSIkGjKeA2Gs9qV78o8hW8biaxPgRsNae8w-SPDDMsWtOmmLf4KaYLgwFWQChLgNl0I03b_vAexS9iWnNxECGpB2DiaeE0Ir55zdEugYABbu2ZjgxIGi/s1600-h/20071109+074.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7GujqL7_A_xhymNbnrSIkGjKeA2Gs9qV78o8hW8biaxPgRsNae8w-SPDDMsWtOmmLf4KaYLgwFWQChLgNl0I03b_vAexS9iWnNxECGpB2DiaeE0Ir55zdEugYABbu2ZjgxIGi/s320/20071109+074.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5137687988903492850" border="0" /></a>Dinner at Cinderella's - one of the few princesses we ever saw on this trip.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAjEDnS6OFu2jmamZDtnd7FphHN97Bb6HEbtHAJ0WmNDtfRLP0rxx3RhFW7HuujEaOcD1WcKD-UaavBqy5cRUK6WpUgb4iDACx_O0QgOEXtmK4PZHDs3vsfjY5wmv6Vz6bmTs4/s1600-h/20071109+098.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAjEDnS6OFu2jmamZDtnd7FphHN97Bb6HEbtHAJ0WmNDtfRLP0rxx3RhFW7HuujEaOcD1WcKD-UaavBqy5cRUK6WpUgb4iDACx_O0QgOEXtmK4PZHDs3vsfjY5wmv6Vz6bmTs4/s320/20071109+098.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5137688006083362050" border="0" /></a>Our annual tradition - wearing pink for a picture at the Pin Store statues. This is the first year she has bypassed Mickey's nose!<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjrkw9_TCcvMnw_5IJKCcy_T7UNSP6SV3blViWpNTurxiVV3SfOk4p2iBVHhLvIQUOj0r6ZMcwVTRxvxayH0IB-la4EizuDlLGVc7TQA5B4xtiLaJcz7cMj71bpLUvR2pussNk/s1600-h/20071109+139.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjrkw9_TCcvMnw_5IJKCcy_T7UNSP6SV3blViWpNTurxiVV3SfOk4p2iBVHhLvIQUOj0r6ZMcwVTRxvxayH0IB-la4EizuDlLGVc7TQA5B4xtiLaJcz7cMj71bpLUvR2pussNk/s320/20071109+139.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5137688040443100434" border="0" /></a>A picture to make my mother happy - one night we met EJ and Marjorie and snuggly<br />new baby Laura for dinner in Orlando.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Those aren't all the pictures of course, but being as we have more than 300, just a few highlights. :) It was tough to return to normal life after vacation - what do you mean I have to cook dinner AGAIN? <br /><br />Shortly after our return from vacation I had our first teacher conferences at the new school. Both her kindergarten teacher and the first grade teacher (where Caroline goes for reading and math) both said how well she was doing, how easily she makes the transition between the two different classrooms each day, she participates well and often, to the point where the teachers hope she understands that they can't call on her all the time because they have to get the other kids involved too. When I told the kindergarten teacher about how happy we were with the school and more importantly how happy Caroline was at the school, and described some of the problems we had with Montessori she said "wow, it sounds like the Bataan Death March with brightly colored toys!" hahahahaha<br /><br />So now we are in the big busy (for our family) month of December, just about. Caroline will be having her sixth birthday party at the local paint-your-own pottery place with ten or twelve of her friends. Our Christmas tree is already up and decorated, so now we just have to wrap presents, make some cookies and wait for Santa to arrive!<br /></div></div>Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06430957960085044934noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14738861.post-25887951195990675272007-11-01T13:16:00.001-05:002007-11-01T13:25:38.028-05:00Halloween Done Right!<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_EuEj4bRqdWY5NBbjQN_lSDP__Yo0vcHrlL8MVB89X0PdJxPBXOFReNZeW-p0KvOSyec_HQV_jWbHbCooq7GbajH_51HHPlDd5_4miTP9WvVzB2ciLjToHeUKeXFdEzI2Di_5/s1600-h/20071031+001.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_EuEj4bRqdWY5NBbjQN_lSDP__Yo0vcHrlL8MVB89X0PdJxPBXOFReNZeW-p0KvOSyec_HQV_jWbHbCooq7GbajH_51HHPlDd5_4miTP9WvVzB2ciLjToHeUKeXFdEzI2Di_5/s320/20071031+001.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5127938855744398994" border="0" /></a>A jack o'lantern quesadilla for Halloween dinner!<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj25Udke7tu8qW9wksjBhVlZiLDkGlo08OkBI4inef8orC43heWO-6vrYL0vUK55q865LkYcvPZyldbGmKikJfm8hHTIiWWhgXNUz96opPfjn0KQm-Uks7BZN0-o9g7-lDLyXcx/s1600-h/20071031+002.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj25Udke7tu8qW9wksjBhVlZiLDkGlo08OkBI4inef8orC43heWO-6vrYL0vUK55q865LkYcvPZyldbGmKikJfm8hHTIiWWhgXNUz96opPfjn0KQm-Uks7BZN0-o9g7-lDLyXcx/s320/20071031+002.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5127938885809170082" border="0" /></a>All dressed up and ready to go! <br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPklcE3UyjqxBANyYc2-utUwXgXWP-jRqmQ-lK2dqAr2jxOw_Zj9FQbzfXqfFRaHcO-zu3Vaf5zCBpxUQzdaixeaZRUVaru4aeNMhLKb6UmzPOsDFLDSHgcoum8h-njxQxEYVG/s1600-h/20071031+006.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPklcE3UyjqxBANyYc2-utUwXgXWP-jRqmQ-lK2dqAr2jxOw_Zj9FQbzfXqfFRaHcO-zu3Vaf5zCBpxUQzdaixeaZRUVaru4aeNMhLKb6UmzPOsDFLDSHgcoum8h-njxQxEYVG/s320/20071031+006.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5127938907284006578" border="0" /></a>Our neighborhood gang ready to go - Lauren the Carebear, Alyssa as Cinderella, Caroline, Sarah and Ellie all as Snow White, and Erin as Ariel. We have no clue why Snow White was such a popular choice this year, it's not like they just re-released the movie or something!<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzamP3-MLm-BYDK5fYihzFvqg8TlJQQ_C5n6aYXIyFJ0rEkT2GUXLDMoLfK7bAVY0f7nXHHEhC7u9LYX-2SKIJNpPdcqcl4CcaYmpUsSrCxAnfyhkbgRKyCTIIhYugXjEq0sSh/s1600-h/20071031+009.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzamP3-MLm-BYDK5fYihzFvqg8TlJQQ_C5n6aYXIyFJ0rEkT2GUXLDMoLfK7bAVY0f7nXHHEhC7u9LYX-2SKIJNpPdcqcl4CcaYmpUsSrCxAnfyhkbgRKyCTIIhYugXjEq0sSh/s320/20071031+009.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5127938928758843074" border="0" /></a>A local house that goes all out in decorating - I told the owner that I didn't know if she remembered us from last year, but that this was the first year that Caroline had ever set foot over the threshold of the garage to see the decorations. Before she would stop at the driveway, cry, and refuse to budge further! (and yes, the little girl who lived at this house and was helping to give out candy was dressed as Snow White too!)<br /></div>Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06430957960085044934noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14738861.post-86159507373997372182007-10-30T12:10:00.000-05:002007-10-30T12:27:34.014-05:00Can I go as a harried mom for Halloween?The costume is pretty easy, apparently. It's been consistent madness around here, which is why it's been more than a month since our last update. Caroline went on her first-ever field trip with school, to a local nature center and a pumpkin patch. I think she was more excited about riding on the school bus actually; as we rounded the corner of the driveway to see the huge yellow bus sitting by the side of the building, Caroline let out a squeal usually reserved for meeting a major deity. On top of that I helped orchestrate the kindergarten "Harvest Party" with two other moms - administering a room full of excited kindergarteners on a sugar buzz is like trying to shove an angry octopus into a mesh bag! So of course that means we're also responsible for the Thanksgiving party about a month away....<br /><br />But, we're also accomplishing lots of other things. We're about to go on our fourth family trip to Disney so have been busy packing and preparing. Caroline's birthday party is scheduled for December 8th at the paint-your-own pottery studio in town. I just bought her beautiful Christmas dress, and scheduled her yearly pictures for after we come back from vacation, so be sure to keep an eye out for the "beautifulest dress ever!" in your Christmas cards this year.<br /><br />We still have to offload the Harvest Party pictures, so for now you'll have to be content with some pictures from a recent park visit.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbDcQ-aU1tElDENsZWu4rn6ZUh3jj12KhXPqFIj8VJJjg7l8Ma5_WlWj9RiIrbpo2L4skeZkwxt656qp165OdaI5YQIt8KfcUcRVkHw_dV2fgfCJe9lUB6zEw4fMLINXepqbew/s1600-h/DSC04972.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbDcQ-aU1tElDENsZWu4rn6ZUh3jj12KhXPqFIj8VJJjg7l8Ma5_WlWj9RiIrbpo2L4skeZkwxt656qp165OdaI5YQIt8KfcUcRVkHw_dV2fgfCJe9lUB6zEw4fMLINXepqbew/s320/DSC04972.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5127181747499393922" border="0" /></a>Caroline's first experience with marshmellow fluff; it's like kindergartener CRACK! In this 8 oz. mug, she literally had three heaping spoons of Fluff.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUq_guHQ5jcJK6IhNaCbKIrW2i14wYHvmtipBA9dc832QHo2g7ss1JVz1ZPC_1MwqUcHnyO3wXE-Ny3NkkvZE3in-811DXgnU7FrOZrKnz5F3ep8ay4n-ZhCfaYTjS-oNXmLoS/s1600-h/DSC04978.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUq_guHQ5jcJK6IhNaCbKIrW2i14wYHvmtipBA9dc832QHo2g7ss1JVz1ZPC_1MwqUcHnyO3wXE-Ny3NkkvZE3in-811DXgnU7FrOZrKnz5F3ep8ay4n-ZhCfaYTjS-oNXmLoS/s320/DSC04978.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5127181773269197714" border="0" /></a>At a new park about two blocks from our house.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzJ_1tn2G_lnabKfMOXGmqAdbtNt01GrVRUfGKL30pz-ArWxtPTYUkOekzH_n4rFtZxN6L7J4oxvUgVf8lrsq5lZOLhFzl1TulScYY7ogpMi5pWkH5YvquuZ49zpmZkM-Ctovh/s1600-h/DSC04980.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzJ_1tn2G_lnabKfMOXGmqAdbtNt01GrVRUfGKL30pz-ArWxtPTYUkOekzH_n4rFtZxN6L7J4oxvUgVf8lrsq5lZOLhFzl1TulScYY7ogpMi5pWkH5YvquuZ49zpmZkM-Ctovh/s320/DSC04980.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5127181786154099618" border="0" /></a>Hanging WAAAAAAAAAAAY back on the swing.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi29NvriOBjo-9IyuII0iHLyk9qsBlebLu2lLx3HsGaSSKYfK3aqEuI-MpTF3uhbnPiO3-pe05DwFwlEfI9UOyC8inbnd3a-S_iHEgUA3NKvV1zsvJyE1xeWMAFKwVwrurITUfL/s1600-h/DSC04985.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi29NvriOBjo-9IyuII0iHLyk9qsBlebLu2lLx3HsGaSSKYfK3aqEuI-MpTF3uhbnPiO3-pe05DwFwlEfI9UOyC8inbnd3a-S_iHEgUA3NKvV1zsvJyE1xeWMAFKwVwrurITUfL/s320/DSC04985.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5127181803333968818" border="0" /></a>Let's try out the rock wall too!<br /></div>Carolinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06430957960085044934noreply@blogger.com