"Why would they do that?"

This week Francis had her second encounter with stealing at school. A few weeks ago, she told me someone had taken her colored pencils from her locker and today she came home heartbroken at the loss of her two favorite books. She had finished SpookyBuddies and had taken it to school to lend it to a classmate. Careful to put her new bookplate in it with her name, she packed it up and was excited to share her first chapter book. She also took with her, her new book, SantaBuddies. This was something she had asked for many many times and finally received for Christmas. She was on, I think, maybe chapter 6 as of Monday. Anyway, she and her girlfriend, took their books to lunch with them (they are allowed to read at lunch time). After lunch is recess and so the girls set their books together next to Francis's lunchbox and 15 minutes later when recess was over, sadly... the books had disappeared. She has been heartbroken. She came home and started telling me the story and seemed quite composed until she got to the part about how they came back to their lunch boxes...and then she started crying. "Why would they do that? Why would someone take them if they weren't theirs?" I just hugged on her and told her it would be okay.

After gaining her composure, we worked on a plan. Francis LOVES plans. She thrives on charts and graphs, etc. So, she decided we should make signs "like when a dog goes missing" and post them up around her school. The signs were made, and went up yesterday. I was so proud of her. She took them to school, went to the office and asked the principal if she could hang them up and then proceeded to put them in the cafeteria, library, office and music room. She said that today she's going to put one up in the art and science rooms. I can not tell you how both sad and adorable this experience has been to watch.

I would be shocked if the books showed up, and I suppose it is a good life lesson, but bummer... I hate she has to learn it.

Ummm...?!

I just found a small Chick-fil-a box of uneaten nuggets (wait for it)... in my purse and to make matters worse, we haven't been there in over a week. ew. Don't know if I should self loathe or just laugh.

There's nothing like a good friend.

The Browns descended upon Fort Worth at the end of February and I can't believe I'm not reading about it in the Star Telegram. I mean, seriously... these people are awesome. Some of my favorites in the whole world.


This is our crew headed to the Fort Worth Federal Bureau of Engraving and Printing. (Which, by the way, was an awesome free tour.) Look how happy I am over there on the left. I love these people.

I've known Becca since I was 12? and living in Panama. Yes, the Canal/Panama. Long story. But she grew up there and I lived there from ages 11-15. Fast forward to college and she (and her husband) went to Notre Dame with my (now) husband. Did she introduce me to my husband, Matt, you ask? No, I met him at summer camp when I was 15. Anyway, I've known these people since I was a wee thing. It is a unique and special gift to have a couple that you and your spouse love so dearly. I think these two are crazy smart (He: MD, She: PH.D), crazy funny, and crazy genuine. I have shared many tears and laughter with this crew. I am so thankful for them. So grateful for friendships like this in my life.



Aside from knowing each other as teens, we also got married the same year, lived in Chicago together (roommates at times) and have had three children - each all around the same time. Getting together these days (being each, a family of five) proves to be a challenge. They live in the northeast, and we are now in the great state of Texas. It means the world to have them make a trip like this. We. had. such. a. great. time.


Ryan's cousin's art exhibit was showing here in Fort Worth.


All of the kids piling on Ryan on the museum lawn.


My first visit down to the Stockyards. It was actually pretty awesome, not as hokey as I thought it would be. I definitely recommend it.

I mean, check this out:

These are not actors. They are not tourists. They are real cowboys getting their boots polished.


It's a great place to take pics, lots of great backdrops. But good luck finding kids as cute as these to take photos of. ;)


Kurt sacked out in the Stockyards. Doing his best not to look like a yankee.

Love you, Browns.
Y'all come right back, ya hear?

Cute baby alert.

Happy Valentines Day!

We celebrated with hot chocolate on the back deck. I am loving this Texas weather. Such a shock to my system after 12 years in Chicagoland.




Yum.


Yum.


Yum.

I could kick myself for not taking photos, but here are links to the Valentines they made:
Francis made the cell phones and George made the robots.

I just went here and let them scroll through and pick the project they wanted. We actually started these about a month before Valentines Day so that we were sure they'd get done in time (without mom putting in a late night of finishing work.)

They were very cute. Again. Kicking myself for no photos. Sometimes though, you got to put down the camera and just enjoy the moment.

Love is in the air.

Time for the annual Gulde tradition of creating a family Valentine box. If all goes according to plan, it gets decorated and put in a prominent place at the beginning of February. Valentines are made and dropped in the box for family members for two weeks. I do my best to write one thing I love about each of the kids everyday. On Valentines Day, we sit down at dinner and read them to each other. So fun.

I just wrapped a box with brown paper, put a slit at the top, and the kids glued paper doilies from the dollar store on it. So easy for little hands. Sometimes, okay...a lot of the time, I tend to want to get too complicated with them. It's such a great reminder that a glue stick and some doilies can be a legit craft. No need to pull out paints and all that craziness. ;)Francis taking her job very seriously. ;) George giving me one of his signature fake smiles. Don't let it fool you though...he loves crafting. Happy with their creation.

Creative Thursday: Kid Rocks

This week we painted rocks.

First, I had to find the rocks. Finding smooth rocks that are bigger than a quarter proved harder than I thought it would be. After looking in my yard, circling the block, and checking Target, I decided to seek a professional. And after just one trip to Elizabeth Anna's, our neighborhood nursery, my problem was solved. A big milk crate FULL of beautiful, smooth, perfectly sized rocks were mine for $10.

For whatever reason, George wasn't interested and played with his legos instead, but Francis and I worked on them for a couple of hours. We used acrylic paint and I have no idea if they will weather well or not. We also used circle stickers as stencils for eyes which turned out cute I thought.

The results:

My kid rocks (Francis, George and Sam):


Francis's Mommy and Daddy rocks:


Francis's "Boo and Sunshine"


Francis's "Grumpy"


And since it's *almost February, I painted this one and the kids named him "Lovey"


Francis's Ant hill rock called "Anty":


And this one. They named it "The Claw" because it looked like those little guys from Toy Story 3:


After we finished painting, George decided he finally wanted in on the fun and worked with us to make up a game called "Toss Rock." Each concentric circle is worth "x" points and whoever gets the most points, wins. Very complex. ;)


All in all, a great afternoon and it felt great to have a paintbrush in my hand.

For Posterity.

As I was editing photos tonight, I came across this one of Sam from earlier this week. I was taken back a bit because honestly, it's such an embarrassing rarity to see this kid without (a bunch of) crud on his face.

You always hear people joke about how different you raise your first child and then when you get to the third, fourth, fifth, etc... they just get progressively let off their "leashes." Did I just imply my child was a leashed animal? Never mind that. Anyway, but here I am, raising my third child and I'd be lying through my teeth if I told you I watched him every second and made sure his hands were clean before he ate. Folks, it just doesn't happen everyday.

I will say, for the record, I think I'm an organized person. I would also consider myself a bit of a neat freak. I have been known to file and stamp all my bills "paid" in a binder labeled by month, etc. I also likely have a file with your name on it if you've ever sent me a letter (with said letter in that folder), however, enter three children...and well, I'm just doing my best to kill the ants on the counter because I didn't get the dishes into the sink before the kids bedtime. Yes, that really did happen tonight.

Ah, big sigh. So, I keep hearing it's just a stage. That I'm in the "mom with small children" stage and that somehow magically when my youngest is enrolled in Kindergarten it will all fall back into place. Hmmm... but deep down, I'm thinking that's a big joke. I mean, really, do I really think that George is ever going to flush his own poops? No... probably not. Do I really think Francis is going to stop putting her dirty clothes BACK into her drawer of clean clothes? Hmm...maybe. And Sam...dear little filthy Sam, he's covered in dirt most of the time and I think he likes it. I would hate to make him change.

I think, life is evolving for me and ... even if my house is a disaster when you drop by, it's gonna be alright. As long as they keep smiling - everything will be just fine. Maybe even our own little version of perfect.

Oh, and since I'm editing photos...here's another one of Sam from this week... a more accurate window into his world. Playing on the deck in the rain... in his pajamas...around noon...

It's a Rainy Day...scratch that... Week in Fort Worth, TX

This week has been a rare, wet treat for us folks in Texas. Never mind, my kitchen ceiling is leaking and will require professional attention (roof repair and ceiling drywall), it's been fun. It's so refreshing to have a break from the heat and admittedly, I have seriously neglected our lawn since moving in, so it's nice to know my grass is getting a much needed drink of water. Let's hope it's not too little too late.

The kids had a blast playing in the Sand and Water Table (sans sand) this afternoon. They were soaked to the bone and could not have been happier. Sometimes it's good to remember how much fun there is to be had in the little things...

George has started Fort Worth PreK

Well folks, here he is: George William Finch Gulde headed to his first day of Fort Worth preK. Baby Tiger under one arm and Clash of the Titans lunchbox in the other. He. had. so. much. fun.

When I dropped him off, I expected some kind of hesitation - something-anything. He hadn't given me any indication that he was worried, but I just figured, hey... he's four and this is a new place...ya know, normal kid stuff. But what I'm realizing more and more is that George Gulde is no regular kid. This boy, much like his father, has never met a stranger. He just rolls with it and is a friend to all. Monday was no different. He just ran in, found his cubby, put away his backpack - taking special care to put Baby Tiger inside safely, put his daddy's old lunchbox on the shelf and ran to one of the tables and started playing. No hug, no kiss goodbye necessary... So I said, "George, I'm leaving... I love you, have a great day" and he said "Okay, momma - I love you too" without even looking up. Big sigh... he's growing up. They all are, damn it.

Just before noon, I talked to Matt and told him that I needed to wake Sam up to go pick up George. He offered to do it for me so he could get in on the first day fun which was great. He said George was the last one out - not because Matt was the last one there, he was just busy having fun.

When they arrived home he told me all about playing in the bike playground and how he liked playing with Max.

Cheers to your first day little man. I hope you are always this comfortable in your own skin, you inspire me.

How do you say...?

Tonight, after reading a bedtime story, I tucked Francis in her bed and laid down next to her to discuss the last couple of days of school. She mentioned again that there was a girl in her class that didn't speak English. So I asked Francis, "Would you like me to teach you how to say,'My name is Francis' so you can talk to her?" She excitedly said "yes" and we began practicing "Me llamo es Francis. Me llamo es Francis. Me llamo es Francis." When she'd said it about ten times without trouble, she looked at me and said, "Mommy, how do you say 'Do you want to be my friend?'."

Have I mentioned this week how much I love this girl? Big sigh, I do.

BTW: I had to look it up. It's "¿Quieres ser mi amigo?"

Update: I have been reminded by my pal M.Anderson that it's actually "Me llamo Francis."
Whoops. It's been a few years. I may have to enroll in a class with Francis. ;) Thanks M!

She speaks Spanish AND English!

She hopped in our minivan with a big grin on her face, and when I asked how her very first day of Kindergarten went, she replied with a gleeful and confident, "Great!" She looked so grown up in that moment. Maybe it was her hair, pulled up instead of the normal two piggies, maybe it was her uniform, but she just seemed a little older and I found myself with a lump in my throat.

I started to ask her for more details, but before I could gather myself and form the question, she was a million words a minute:

"Mommy, did you know there is a girl in my class that doesn't speak any English and if you want to tell her something you have to tell another girl who speaks English AND Spanish and she tells the girl who doesn't speak English? Also, I share a locker with Kate. Oh, and I didn't eat all my carrots at lunch. I don't really like them without ranch."

Today was a great first day. I love her so much.

The Drop Off.

We went in as a family. My husband Matt, George, myself and baby Sam, all escorted sweet Francis to her very first day in Mrs. Bradshaw's Kindergarten class. She was quiet and a little nervous. She wanted to stay by my side, so I walked her in, greeted her teacher and found her seat. It was time for goodbyes and I don't think either of us were excited about it. I gave her the biggest hug I could, a kiss for good measure, told her I loved her, told her to have a super fun day and whispered "I'll see you before you know it!" As I started to stand up to turn towards the door, she said "Wait, I have to give Daddy a hug and a kiss!" and as quick as cricket she was running to the door. I grabbed my camera and captured the sweetest hug I've ever seen. Man, those two... breakin' my heart. Just when I thought I'd get out of there without crying...

American Girl

Francis and I met up with some friends for brunch at the American Girl store on Michigan last week. You apparently have to make reservations at least a month in advance and if you want a window seat, overlooking Michigan Ave, you have to hold your breathe for 6 months. Insane. Nevermind, that we arrived moments after the doors opened at 10am and the store was already packed, nevermind that it was a whooping $20 a head for said brunch, nevermind that they sell doll eye glasses for as much as my husband just paid for his real glasses - it was still awesome. A madhouse of memories I will never forget. Francis loved it and I loved her loving it.

My sweet girl.

I took a walk with my daughter, Francis, after our morning at American Girl and for the first time she was such a ridiculous ham! Typically, she sees my camera and turns the other way. This time... it was different. I may have created a... monster. A really sweet adorable monster.

Happy Easter!

This year we dyed brown eggs instead of white, and they turned out so beautiful. I laughed out loud when I found myself looking up "How To Boil Eggs" in the "Joy Of Cooking." What does that say about me? I'd like to think it just means I don't eat hard boiled eggs, but I'm afraid it might be more telling. Regardless, we had a great time! The baskets have been stuffed, the eggs are hidden, and I'm off to bed. Happy Easter!

My Sweet Girl

This was taken at the Garfield Park Conservatory this past Monday. The light there is so beautiful and it's especially nice to run around without your coats on. If you live in the area and haven't been...it's time. Amidst our insane weather, it's an absolute literal breath of fresh air.

My little one

Pulled out my tride and true scans from my former life as a designer to age this photo of little G. It felt good to be in photoshop again.

Piggies