November 2014

The cold really came last night.  It is raining leaves outside this morning &  that makes me a little sad. Goodbye beautiful Fall colors. In a couple hours whatever is left here will be on the ground. (I do secretly love the sound of raining leaves)

 

In case you have never stopped to hear it raining leaves...

 

 

 

After dinner, we each spend about 10 minutes doing our own things.  "WHAT WAS THAT??!!"...Looks like Dejan has lost his 10 minutes, because Ava picked up the Lego Beach House we spent TWO HOURS building & dropped it on the floor! I will just sit here &  let her Dad have his turn with that before I freak out!!


The leaves have all come down.

 

 

All the leaves coming down is "amazing" for kids!

Serious about getting that screw out. I love her determination & ability to use tools!

 

I have no idea what is happening today, but this is what we currently look like as Ava bosses me into a Nirvana rock n roll show... {help me} ;-)

Cynthia Hanks You require no help if u r currently rocking out to Nirvana, you are doing everything right and should enjoy the ride!

Francesca Harris Djordjevich Doing things right & enjoying the ride were not my thoughts when I found an entire roll of torn up toilet paper used for the "fog" effects of the show. (I secretly did laugh after gasping)

 

 

She's good! She engineered her way through designing her own swing.

 

 

I try to catch Ava off guard with random conversations about school & friends because it's the easiest way to get the most information. Today she was helping me paint & I threw in one of those conversations; this conversation turned into tears for her & I just made one of the biggest changes to a parenting style. "You no longer need to follow the rule of walking away, girlie. The time has come for you to stand your ground & stick up for yourself. If you don't, people will bully you your whole life. There will always be bullies, but as long as you are in a safe surrounding, you stick up for yourself! Use your words first, but punch them if you have to!"
I don't care! I stand behind that firmly from now on!



At least the kids love it...

 

 

Sara Johnson--We have 4 extra kids at our house tonight! Husband and I figured we mine as well get it all over with at once!!  (Finley's birthday sleep over)

 

 

Common Core...I hate it, but Ava says she gets it & it's easy. Top row is her way of getting the answer (a number line) & my way is below (clearly for simpletons like me). You decide what you think.

 

 

 "Wow it's warm out here!"  It's 30 degrees and snowy   :-(

 

 

Ava made this by herself at home, & I'm so happy to know she does learn stuff at school (because they always say they learned nothing), & guess what, it's about Thanksgiving, not Christmas!

 

 

Sara Johnson... I can totally see us (along with our husbands) embarrassing the crap out of our girls when they need it! I can't wait!   http://www.lifetreefamily.com/best-discipline-teenagers/


Rosanna Seabold...Accomplished the 7 mile run through muck and ice and creeks knee deep. I am 44 and ready for more thank you Francesca Harris Djordjevich for encouraging words!!!

 

 

Yesterday was a girl day....I was invited to a store offering "free items but 1cent", a make over room where I pretty much ended up looking like Mrs. Peacock, judged a dance competition, made LOTS of food (crazy for such little people), played scare chase with screams worthy of a horror film, had a picnic lunch inside the truck in the Target parking lot (again, they were really hungry), had lots of laughs, and heard snoring, coughing, tooth grinding, & got kicked a lot while I tried sleeping last night, & for some reason they kept asking me why I am so tired today. Thanks Finley, for being such a sweet friend to Ava & being like the sister she doesn't have.
— with Sara Johnson.

 

 

 

THANKSGIVING...

 

From Adonica Cosgrove....And so it begins! Don't worry, Francesca, I'm just "helping".  

(Getting Ready for Thanksgiving Dinner)...

To Adonica Cosgrove Pohren..., my white trash dessert is in the making. Yum-O!

 

 

From Adonica...We're having too much fun! With Francesca Harris Djordjevich and Jennifer

 

 

Photo Booth...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

Good friends that I don't see often enough...and Francesca Harris Djordjevich being funny!

 

It "Boggles" the mind... Nonno & grandkids.

 

Best selfie all day!

 

 

The aftermath of thanksgiving this year...

Piss off sickness that has taken all three of us down. One with pink eye, one almost over a sinus infection, & me, well, I have no voice so everyone's happy.