Run With The Fishes

I don’t even know what to write really. You are five years old. Still not quite to the six year mark you used to insist was your age, but man you are catching up with it too fast. This year, you have gone to just barely still a toddler to a full fledged little girl.

It’s not just how you look with your shorter hair and skinnier face. It’s also how you see the world. You have always seemed older than your age. I’m sure it has something to do with having older siblings. Sometimes it’s hard to remember that you are just five. Then there are the reminders: The crazy silly sense of humor you have (yes, you still think fart jokes are hilarious), your fantastic imagination, your funny logic behind things.

You have always had your own spirited personality and it only gets stronger each year. I’m sure because you are the third (and last) child, we do some things completely different with you than we did with your brother and sister.

You get your way more often than either of them ever did at your age. That has to account for how independent you already are. Where your brother and sister are both more reserved, you do not hesitate to go up to someone and tell them you like their style/dog/some other random thing you happen to think they need to know.

I love that you are still a snuggler. On school nights everyone sleeps in their own beds, but most weekends will find you sleeping in either my bed, or with either your dad or me in your bed.

All of my worries about you starting school were unfounded. Sure there are days when you wake up and ask to stay home from school, “I just don’t think I need to go today”, and most days when I ask how school was, you answer, “Boooring”. But then you go on to say what fun you had and how you played with your friends, even Brianna, who according to you is sometimes mean and bossy (secretly I wonder if you are both a little bossy and that’s why you clash).

You are very particular about how things should be. You have to sit in a certain place to eat. You must be tucked in super tight to your bed. The pants you wear must be button ups (but not those button ups!). Your socks have to be inside out. Those cupcakes up there had to be sprinkled with just the right colors. You are a girl who knows what she wants already and is not satisfied until she gets it.

Even though you missed it by a day, you have been the best birthday present I have ever and will ever receive.

It was a foggy night and the moon was almost full. The effect was amazing.

I took some tips and think I managed to get some pretty night shots (maybe too many )

Newest nephew, I have to admit I was hoping you would hold out for my birthday, but I didn’t think you would take me seriously. Now that you’ve waited this long, you may as well hang in there few more hours. Don’t wait too long though, your mom needs a break kid.

Everyone send good (possibly “Get Out Baby”) thoughts to my sister-in-law who has been in labor since last week. She was supposed to be induced last Friday, but because her body was already in early labor, the doctor decided to let nature take its course.

Every once in a while we leave early enough that I get to ride along while Greg drops the kids off at their different schools.

One of our new staple dishes. Skillet Penne and Sausage Skillet.I have made this once a week for the past few months. It’s so tasty (how could it not be with sausage?) and makes great left overs.

Is it just me or are the stores completely skipping over Thanksgiving? These decorations have been up for 9 days already. I love Christmas music, but I don’t want to be tired of it before the season is actually supposed to be here.

Okay, a few other things to note: This is obviously a Walmart.

Check out the huge Texas flag. Did you know that Texas is the only state that is allowed to fly its flag at the same height as the United States flag?

That guy is clearly the star of the shot.

Tonight we are having Corned Beef (blech) and cabbage. Because I am a generous and loving wife and mother, sometimes I sacrifice myself and cook things I think are disgusting (corned beef) or have an allergy to (shrimp). For some unknown reason, everyone else in my family likes corned beef. I guess I do a pretty good job of cooking it, there have been praises of how delicious the meat is. I’ll take their word for it.

Allison was telling me how raw cabbage tastes like cow poop and we had the following conversation.

Me: “That is gross.”
Allison: “Yeah!”
Me: “Wait, how do you know what cow poop tastes like? You haven’t been eating any, right?”
Allison: “No! EEEWWWW! Jessicus ate it once and told me how it tasted.”

If you don’t know about Jessicus, she is Allison’s imaginary friend. Allison insists she is real and we don’t argue with her. Jessicus always explains the unexplainable.

Making some pancakes from scratch. My laptop is also my recipe file.

We did this last year also. Guess we are a Nielsen TV family for sweeps week.

Pulled pork and sweet potato fries. Yum.