Now I'm the Parent.....

So there comes a time when you have to give the teacher a phone call....

I'm used to being on the other end of this deal--the teacher.  Now I'm the parent.  Ashlyn has been complaining off and on about another student 'touching' her.  It's nothing inappropriate but rather just bugging her.  I mentioned it to her teacher  a couple of months ago when it wasn't such a big deal.  They had sat beside each other so the teacher moved the little boy.  Well Ashlyn kinda broke down before beditme the other night about him bugging her and 'he just won't leave me alone.'  So I wrote the teacher a note.  Ashlyn said it continued the next day and I didn't have a response to the note so my response was, "that's it, I'm calling her."

Let me stop here and say that I LOVE Ashlyn's teacher and her school.  She has been there since she was one.  I wouldn't want her anywhere else for preschool and she is learning so much.  However, I've never really seen this side of Ashlyn(not counting fighting with her sister).  Ashlyn is usually the aggressor.  So I called her teacher.  To make a long story short, yes the kid is pretty much bugging her.  He wants to sit beside her in class, chapel, lunch, stand by her in line, and play with her at recess.   However, Ashlyn has a little group of friends that have been in school together for the last few years and they only want to play with each other(Colbie and Carter being two of them).  The teacher thinks Peyton has a little crush on her and is trying to join their little group.  Dare I say clique at age 4?

It was a weird feeling being on the parent side of the phone call and the first time where I had the 'don't mess with my kid' feeling.  I'm sure there will be plenty more of these stops on the road of life but I think I'll consider this one a yield.....

Jesus First, Santa Second

Christmas is a great holiday.  I've always thought that.  What better way to celebrate the birth of Jesus.  Christmas is that much more spectacular through the eyes of my children who know Jesus first, Santa second.  Brandon and I have taught the girls a Christian lifestyle but I can't say enough about their preschool.  They come home reciting Bible verses, singing songs, and truly have a love for Jesus that I didn't teach them.  We are blessed to have such wonderful Christian teachers.

Each year we have baked a cake for Jesus and this year the kids say we have to sing Happy Birthday.  They like seeing the ornaments and decorations depicting nativity scenes.  Don't get me wrong--they also love Santa, elves, and reindeer--but listening to them tell us stories of the Bible are far more important in our household.

When Ashlyn was misbehaving this week, I told her that Santa was watching.  Her response was, "So is God.  He sees everything.  He can see way more than Santa."  OK so I can't argue with that.....so I replied with "Yes God is watching too."  She said, "I guess I better obey.  I don't want to go to that goat place..."

We officially have all decorations up and trees decorating.  A ten foot tree in the living room, 6 ft in the foyer, 6 ft tree in the landing up high in the foyer, and small tree upstairs in the hallway leading to the kids' rooms.  Okay, so the tree on the landing has been up for three years straight and never taken down, but it still counts.

Things I'm Thankful For......

*Two healthy children.
 Ashlyn has a skin disease called vitiligo but it is mainly cosmetic.  A friend in the mom's club has the sweetest little four year old who is going through some major surgery on a tumor next month.  It just makes me thankful that my children are healthy.

*A job I love.
 I've only been there a few months but I've enjoyed my time working.  It also allows me a little more patience for my own children when I am home.  I think it has been a good transition.

*A wonderful childhood.
I grew up in a small town with two parents who invested their free time in their children.  They provided us with every opportunity available and were great role models.

*A loving husband.
I'm fortunate to have a hard-working husband who cares deeply for his family. His free time is spent at home with us and I love seeing him doing special things with the kids both together and individually.

*A great preschool and teachers
My kids have been at the same preschool since they were 1.  The teachers are nice and the kids are comfortable there.  They have learned a lot about God and we are thankful for that.

*Great Friends
Living 12 hours away from family can be difficult at times.  However, I have some great friends that will step in and lend a hand when I need it.

I could go on but I have a Christmas Tree and Snowman to grow(crystals)......my kids love crafts......

Making the Most of a Week Off...

So I am enjoying my week off from work and back home with the kids.  It seems like a long time since I've been home with them through the week....  So today we went to the Center for the Puppetry Arts to see Rudolph.  Chloe calls him 'Bambi with the red nose'.  I've never been there and was just as excited as the kids.  :)   It wasn't at all what I envisioned.  It's kind of hard to explain but it is a screen and the puppets are in the middle.  They showed scenes projected onto the screen during the puppeteering.  The puppeteers sang live.  I guess you have to see it to fully get the picture.

After we watched the show, had lunch, and came back home, the kids were exhausted.  However, Chloe had cat napped in the car and I couldn't get Ashlyn to lay down.  Plus it was later in the day and I don't like them to nap that late.  Sooooo Ashlyn had the worst (late) afternoon of her life.  I had to lock myself in the spare bedroom and take a breather.  Please tell me someone else has had to do that.  She was talking back, not listening, and just plain horrible.  She spent several timeouts in her room screaming.  Then finally calmed down. She just ate dinner and bedtime has been moved up to 7:00.  I've never seen her act that badly in my life.  For those that don't know, I have a 4 year that must nap daily and does for 2-3 hours.  If she doesn't, she is a bear.  Well today she was the biggest bear I've seen in my life and I ran the other way.......

I Saved $330 Today!!!!!!!!!

So today I went to the Lawrenceville Target to check out Halloween clearance.  It said it was 70% off but it was really 90% off.  I was SOOOOOO excited!  So I'm looking at costumes and they were going to be only a dollar or two.  Then I see a whole pile on a shopping cart sticking out of an aisle.  I walk over only to find some lady yell at me that it is her pile.  Then I see her friend.  They had three carts full.  So they basically took all of the costumes off the rack, when down a few aisles, and started sorting.  Seriously, who does that?  I had both kids with me so I held in what I really wanted to say.  Then she says to me that she is going to put back the ones she doesn't want.  I sarcastically tell her how nice that is of her to think of others.  Anyways, I did get Ashlyn a Jessie costume and she was thrilled.  I also got a lady bug and a pink skeleton girl.  The Halloween glow in the dark shirts were anywhere from 50 cents to $1 so I bought a size bigger for the kids for next year.  Then I found a few Halloween divider plates for 29 cents that were really nice.  I also bought some crafty things to do with the kids.  I spent $14 total!

After talking to a friend, she decided to check out the Snellville Target.  Well they had a great selection but it was still 70% off so we didn't go.  After I got home, another friend posted that she got a costume at the Target in Bethlehem for $1.  So I called my friend and we took a roadtrip(15 miles from our house which was the farthest Target of the day!).  There I got a car costume, butterfly wings, gloves, hats, a green ghost thing, a shark, and a prisoner.  They also had a six pack of princess pens in the shape of lipstick for 30 cents and orange nailpolish with princesses on them for 30 cents too.  I bought six of each and intend to use that as party favors for the girls' birthdays in the spring.

SOOOOOO instead of cleaning the house which is what I planned to do on my day off, I clearance-shopped.  OH and I did cast my vote!!