Aubrey's Second Birthday

*her first word to us this morning was "cake"
*showing Aubrey her new big girl bed
*eating her Itsy Bitsy Spider cake...yum!
*having our parents over to celebrate
*watching her blow out her candle. She knew just what to do!
*watching Aubrey open her presents. She was overwhelmed and just wanted to stop and play.
*eating lunch at Red Robin. No balloons at this one. Boo!
*her favorite word right now is "pinch" but it does not sound that way. :)
*presents: from us...small magna doodle, Biscuit book, Color Wonder coloring book, Letter Factory, and bedding set for toddler bed; from Grammy and Grandpop...clothes, coloring book, colored pencils, animal flashlight; from Grandmother and Grandpa...small pink laptop; from Aunt Joyce and Uncle John...puzzle; from Uncle Ron and Aunt Dixie...$3

*having a day to homeschool Madelyn(working on rhyming, painting, writing, a sticker story, creating new animals at switchzoo)
*watching Aubrey paint (she gets so excited)
*singing to Madelyn at bedtime
*Jim's homemade pumpkin pancakes
*seeing Jim's mustang travel down the wet road in the misty dark toward home
*thinking about teaching fourth grade
*Madelyn asking me if I will be a librarian when I don't have any kids to take care of anymore
*listening to Felicity, an American Girl story (I think I like them more than my kids)
*thinking about the warm Sahuarita sun (those thoughts will have to get me through a lot of gray gloomy days this winter)
*reading in PW about a little bookstore that is opening and daydreaming about opening my own children's bookstore (what would I call it?)
*seeing how grown up Gracie can be sometimes

Aubrey's latest word is "mean". She points to someone and says, "Mean!" So tonight in her prayer, we are pretty sure she was saying names of our family with the word mean after each one. We couldn't help but smile.

*the cool fall weather
*the pumpkin festival
*finding out that Madelyn's teacher is pregnant
*so thankful for their teachers
*watching Aubrey take care of her baby. She put it on the caterpillar and rocked it.
*going through my teaching things
*writing, writing, writing!
*researching agents
*reading about children's literature
*helping during library time
*praying over the school and kids at MIP
*that my dryer works again

*a hug from Aubrey
*a new bottle of wine waiting to be opened
*a calm moment
*anticipating playing with textures in Photoshop
*reading a blog about motherhood being enough
*the girls' laughter
*watching Aubrey grow and learn
*the girls' excitement about school
*finding a shortcut to the school
*legos
*birthday cake
*Madelyn turning five
*Madelyn asking me if I taught in the one-room schoolhouse at Wildlife Prairie Park
*a moment to even look at my blog
*Hollywood Game Night and popcorn
*getting the teachers I requested

*playdate with Britt and Alice
*watching the baby robins get fed
*going to the Blend with Bethany
*organizing! It makes me feel so much better.
*watching Gilmore Girls
*reading These High, Green Hills
*hearing Aubrey say "laptop" over and over at Bethany's while she played with her Leapster Explorer
*Madelyn's normal blood tests (now if we could just figure out why she yawns and is tired)

Some Favorites

*taking pictures of the girls playing in the wading pool
*having lunch with Rachel E.
*Steak 'n Shake with Rachel M.
*working in my Smash Book
*organizing my counter
*planning our anniversary getaway
*fireworks at Eureka Lake
*looking at beautiful land east of Eureka
*reading A Light in the Window
*teaching the girls about Ancient Egypt, Joseph, and Moses and the Exodus
*watching The Back-up Plan, funny!
*looking at pinterest and trying to decide if I should join
*planning a second grade classroom, just in case :)