why ya gotta be so mean?

*sigh*

I knew the day would come.  The little girl giggles and silliness would go sideways in comes mean.  not in my girls.  but other girls.  perhaps these girls have not had "the talk" with their moms.  My girls have.  And we continue to have it.  I refuse to raise "mean girls".  I want independent and assertive girls, but not by meanness.  Luckily (?) the meanness from others is coming in small quantities.  And has happened when I am around - although that almost bothers me MORE - that these young girls are bold & brave enough to be mean in front of me.  And luckily the episodes seem to burst and be done.  I've had some good heart-to-hearts with both girls...trying to help them understand how a true friend treats you and you should treat others.  Gently reminding them to be friendly to everyone, not to leave someone out when possible, and not to talk about someone when they are not around.  Hopefully giving them a soft & safe place to land when they are hurt...Despite my initial reaction is to put those mean little girls in their place...I am pulling up my Big Girl Panties and biting my tongue and taking 3-4 deep breaths and kneeling to their level and explaining that their words/behavior was not appropriate or nice...trying to find out  "the why" behind what they did.  Sometimes easier said than done.  But at the ages of 5 & 6...no one, NO ONE, should start their day of school in tears.  I just wish that all parents took the time and patience to teach their daughters the importance of being nice.  And what being a friend entails...but of course, assumes the Moms know these things themselves, right?

On a *happy note*.........My girls have found a great liking of Taylor Swift songs.  And for the most part, her music is okay for their age.  They love "Mean" and lil miss Nea does a *mean* version of it - in fact, she often tells me she sings just like Taylor Swift (yes, if Taylor has a bit of a lisp and is merely 2.5 ft tall....but we got that long blond hair AND she does know the words AND does very similar dance moves as seen in the video The Daddy showed the girls...).

busy autumn

it has been a crazy busy fun fall thus far for all of us.

the girls love school.  adore their teachers.  can't wait to go each morning.  i *heart* not having to fight to get them up & doing and ready to go!  of course, picking out their outfits the night before is very helpful.

although there have been many events and laughter that i'd love to write about...this one is a quick one about teacher conferences.

i am so stinking proud of my girls!

nea is reading 1st grade level (and sometimes harder!) books...she is one of the best readers in her class and knows all her sight words already!  so her teacher is starting her on 1st grade words this week.  she is super excited.  and that girl can draw & color like a pro!  beautiful pictures that are colored intricately for her age.  she is still quiet, although her teacher does finally get a smile out of her!  for as quiet she is during school hours, the words & storied pour (gush!) out of her at pickup.  and she is competitive - she likes to be first in line.  we knew she could be sneaky and it sounds like she is showing some of that in school.  soccer season went very well for her - she learned the fine art of stopping with the ball and letting the other kids run past her then turning and scoring.  the pride on the little girl's face was so awesome!  she is still dancing tap and ballet - and really wanted to add a jazz class.  maybe next year.  she really likes being in the same class as her sister and they are super cute together!  i cannot wait for their christmas recital  - they are dancing to one of my favorite non-traditional songs:  "i want a hippopotamus for christmas...".  and finally, she is monkey-bar-hanging-swinging-spinning fool!  had the blisters on each hand to prove it.  they are nicely healed now and well on the way to being calloused because those monkey bars must be conquered at each recess. 

wren knew all her 1st grade sight words a few weeks ago and we got a note letting us know that her teacher was starting her on the 2nd grade words to keep challenging her.  she is reading very well and loves checking out all sorts of books from the library (she just brought home a book about ancient egypt!).  at conferences her teacher had such good things to say...except wanting her to slow down a bit with her writing.  her teacher is not letting her use the "i'm lefty and it's hard to write well" excuse.  but my favorite thing was a book where they are journaling about what they did on the weekends.  they write a sentence and draw a picture.  she wrote about going to gram & grandpa's.  getting groceries with the daddy.  and more than once she wrote that we went to church and she learned about God.  i love that girl!  i am so proud of her!  wren had a good friend of hers hurt (almost break) her arm and when she showed up at "walking club" with a cast on, wren went over to ask if she was okay and immediately offered to help her get her jacket on and held her good hand the whole time we walked.  she is a good friend!  she is continuing her piano lessons and enjoys practicing and playing each day.  today she had a "group" lesson and i was just walking out of her teacher's home as she was starting her solo.  she was sitting up proud and straight and played loudly, then softly and all from memory.  that girl can play a good "ole macdonald's farm" i tell ya!  she enjoyed soccer this year, but mostly the social aspect.  although she enjoys running and kicking, soccer is not necessarily her best sport.  she is still dancing (ballet & tap) and likes that nea is in class with her.

so there's bit aboout us and what we are up to.  my working is going well...days go fast!  the house is not clean.  the laundry piles up.  and my "fall painting projects" will have to be "summer painting projects" when i will be on sabbatical.  i have been able to get in some volunteering at the girls' school and am able to do "walking club" each morning with them.  it is fun to see them interact with their teachers and classmates and other students.  karl & i have made it to the ISU home games and some have been great.  others not so much.  such is the way of college football.  we are getting ready for halloween...hopefully i'll get some photos posted in a couple weeks of our "jasmine", "flamingo dancer", "ISU fan", and "parrot".  in the mean time you'll just have to try to guess who is going as what.  or who.  or is it whom?  whatever.

what linnea hears...

so online i saw a list of

"top 10 funniest misheard lyrics:

here is the list 

**PLEASE NOTE - SOME ARE NOT EVEN REMOTELY APPROPRIATE**

Elton John -- 'Tiny DanceR'

Misheard: "Hold me closer, Tony Danza."
Real: "Hold me closer, tiny dancer."

Jimi Hendrix -- 'Purple Haze'

Misheard:"S'cuse me while I kiss this guy"
Real: "S'cuse me while I kiss the sky."

Pearl Jam -- 'Glorified'

Misheard: "Horrified virgin on a pelican"
Real: "Glorified version of a pellet gun"

Manfred Mann's Earth Band --'Blinded by the Light'

Misheard: "Wrapped up like a douche"
Real: "Revved up like a deuce"

Van Halen -- 'Panama'

Misheard: "You reach down between my legs... squeeze the seed bag."
Real: "You reach down between my legs... ease the seat back."

Adele -- 'Chasing Pavements'

Misheard: "Should I just keep chasing penguins?"
Real: "Should I just keep chasing pavements?"

.

Creedence Clearwater Revival -- 'Bad Moon Rising'

Misheard: "There's a bathroom on the right."
Real: "There's a bad moon on the rise."

The National -- 'Mr. November'

Misheard: "I won't f--- her sober."
Real: "I won't f--- us over."

Hall and Oates -- 'Every Time You Go Away'

Misheard: "Every time you go away, take a piece of meat with you."
Real: "Take a piece of me with you."

Eagles -- 'Desperado'

Misheard: "You've been outright offensive for so long now."
Real: "You've been out riding fences for so long now."

AND SO WHAT, EXACTLY, DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH THE TITLE OF THIS POST..."WHAT LINNEA HEARS..."??

WELL...WHILE LISTENING TO A MIXED CD SHE TOLD HER SISTER THAT THE 2ND SONG IS THE FUNNIEST B/C IT SAYS:

"COMPLETELY UNDERWEAR"

AND THOSE 2 GIRLS CACKLED & CACKLED!

LINNEA WENT & GOT THE CD AND THE ACTUAL WORDS ARE:

"COMPLETELY UNAWARES".

I LAUGHED OUTLOUD.

FOR QUITE A LONG TIME!

FIRST DAYS

the help

if you have not read the book,

READ IT!

if you have not seen the movie,

SEE IT!

creativity and what not...

i guess it is a done deal.

i registered the kids for school today.

so, i guess linnea is now officially a kindergartner.

oh me oh my. 

(insert sad momma face here)

but she is super-duper excited! and enjoying all the festivities that lead up to that

"FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL".

one of the traditions is getting to make a blanket with auntie kathy.  last year wren chose a black/white animal print and a coordinating purple panda for hers.  linnea's choices were peter pan (with tinkerbell) on one side and barbie on the other.  matching?  not so much.  but totally *her*.

i think she will be "most fashionable" during rest time - and the most comfy, too... indeed!