Brown & Peach & Pricks

One of the things I worried about when we decided to send the girls to private school was that they would not get the "cultural exposure" that they might get in a public school setting. I'm all about sheltering them but I would prefer them not to be kept secluded in our white middle class bubble. Thankfully, their little school is full of multi-cultured families ... at least in the Pre-K.

The first few weeks of school I was very eager to hear about the girls school day. I was obsessed with finding out if they made any friends, especially since they were separated for the first time and especially Hassie Clare since she usually just tags along with Quinn and her friends. So each day I would ask who they played with and what their new friends names are. After a few weeks of school, this was the conversation in car ride home:
ME: "Did you make any new friends today?"
QUINN: "All my friends in my class are peach and all Hassie Clare's friends are brown."
ME (trying not to giggle because it the first time they have ever mentioned skin color): "Well, there really aren't any differences in the peach and brown kids are there?"
HC: "Yes Mommy. The brown girls have pricks in their ears and the peach girls don't."
Now ... I really had to stop and think about this because there are families from India, Japan and Africa in their class so I'm racking my brain trying to think of what they might have around their ear.
ME: "Pricks ... in their ear? What do they look like?"
QUINN: "Some of the pricks sparkle and some are colored."
HC: "One of the girls pricks is a flower."
ME: "Ohh .... you mean ear rings. Well, besides that ... there really isn't any other differences in peach or brown skin people is there?
HC: "Yes Mommy. After we come inside from the playground, we wash our hands. When the peach girls wash their hands the brown dirt comes off. When the brown girls wash their hands the brown stays on."

A few days later I asked Quinn who she played with and she told me a couple of names. I didn't recognize one of the girls names so I asked her, "what does she look like so Mommy knows who she is?" Quinn said she is a girl and has straight hair. I asked her if she was brown or peach and Quinn said "she is brown with a little  peach mixed together ... It think her mommy forgot to put sunscream (AKA sunscreen) on her this summer." I'm pretty sure she is talking this adorable little Asian girl.

We have a ways to go on teaching them about cultural differences but hopefully we are on the right track. Their little minds are so pure and innocent. I know that someday they will be exposed to racism and hatred but I will do everything I can to educate them so that they know how to react to it when that time comes.

In other news, I'm officially a morning coffee drinker. It happened the week the girls started school during my ritual phone conversation with my sister. We both mentioned that a cup of coffee sounded good ... thus began my new love affair. The reason I never drank coffee before ..............
One summer in undergrad I took Bio I and Bio II. Didn't study a lick all summer (spent a lot of time at the beach that summer) and 2 days before the finals my girlfriend and I decided to pull a double all nighter and cram. The only 24 hour place open in our college town, at the time, was Subway with free coffee refills. For 48 hours, we crammed like mad women and downed black coffee. The first final was Bio II at 9am. The first part of the exam was identifying internal parts of a cat and pig. We would walk into a room with our notebooks and examine these animals cut open and laying on metal slabs with little flags sticking out of their brain, abdomen, etc. I'm not sure if it was the lack of sleep, the black coffee or what but as soon as the formaldehyde smell hit me I puked ...luckily in the lab trash can. And once I started I could not stop. Black coffee out your nose is not fun. So ... Even tough I pulled off a B in that class, I vowed never to drink coffee again. So girls, if you are reading this during your college years, never never never wait until the last minute to study drink black coffee all night while cramming for a test ... make sure you add creamer to it to help coat your tummy!

This picture was taken at our friends backyard wedding last weekend. Jamie said he looks "touched" in this pic but I think he looks handsome. Please take notice of my 2 different earrings.  I tried them both on to see which one looked better before leaving the house and I obviously forgot to change them out. My girlfriend Shelley thought I was trying to be a trend setter .... I love her for thinking I'm cool like that ... but I'm just a forgetful D O R K!  

 

We live in Mississippi ... so it's okay! Pickwick 2011

One of our many summer adventures led us to Pickwick lake for a 4 day trip with 3 other couples. The total count came to 8 adults and 11 children. Many of you might shriek at these numbers but I tell ya ... it was wonderful.  Most of the kids are under 10 and they all played so well. We stayed in this outdated, musky, cobweb infested lake house that was perfect for 11 kids to destroy. I dubbed the house Arachnophobia Inn after being there for an hour but it was nothing that a big bottle of "hot" bug poison could not handle (it was hot because Aunt Jenny accidentally lifted it from the 1975 Walmart).  It was on a PERFECT spot on the lake (thanks Aunt Jenny for making it happen)!
Anyway, the kids either had their swimsuits on or their night clothes for 4 days straight. We boated, swam, ate and drank the entire 4 days. We wore the kids out every day which meant they were early to bed .... smart planning on our part. After the sun went down, we had kid-free deck time on the back porch. We talked about our kids, work, life. We sang, danced and swam by the light of the moon. Fun was had by all. For some ridiculous reason, I didn't take my camera. The Ofenhuesle's and Hagel's ... and maybe the Carroll's got some great pics of the kids but I can't seem to load them onto here from Snapfish (hint hint hint to Aunt Jenny - email some pics sister)!  I took my phone with me one day to field work calls and I happened to catch a few pics:

Quinnie, Noah and Hassie Clare - We will have to watch these guys MUCH closer while on vacation as they get older. They perfected playing "doctor" on this trip!

The Momma's

I foresee many more vacations with this crew. The kids played together flawlessly, the adults played together flawlessly.  The only drama with all 18 of us was Hassie Clare falling off the top bunk on her head. It was scary enough for me to switch to H2O and wake her up every couple hours throughout the night. But all was well.
The memories of our night swim in the buff will be etched in my memory forever ... I've just erased the parts that included my brother. That is how we roll in Mississippi!

I'm pretty sure this is just the beginning ....

Today is the 5th day of school and HC has a stomach virus that has single handily wiped out most of the second grade. Damn PTO meeting. Had I not attended my first PTO meeting last night and put the girls in the childcare room - that happen to have 2nd graders in it  - she would probably be at school today and not puking up her toenails. Awesome.

Ohh ... and for the record, I will NEVER be on a PTO committee but I have a ton of respect for the ones that do. I had no idea that parents were such whiny little bitches people. Just follow the rules and read the handbook ....stop trying to skirt around the rules and then complain about it when you get busted. There is a reason why you spend a ton of money to send your kid to this school, a school with strick rules. Get a life .... or better yet, come help me with mine since you have all this spare time on your hands. I'm drowning over here!

First Day of School EVER

It was a slow start but excitement was in the air.

They picked the same backpack color. When I asked them why they both said "Cause we are twins and we like the same thing." I have a feeling this will be the last year they feel this way!

It is only customary that the Grinch attend the first day of school with Hassie Clare. He has been a part of all of our big events.

Hassie Clare's teacher Ms. Ann.

Quinnie Ray's teacher Ms. Beverly (Q calls her Ms. Betherlie).

After our big day we celebrated with our favorite summer treat ... Gracie Blues.  I even let the girls put a fruity pebble topping on their frozen yogurt. They were in heaven.

So far so good. Today is day 4 of school and I didn't cry when I left them this morning. My mom and I always tell each other to "put your big girl panties on and suck it up."   I guess I wore my big girl panties today!

Preparations for "big girl" school - Junior Kindergarten

Way, way behind on blogging. We have had a fun filled summer and I will catch up on creating those memories later. First and foremost, my little girls have their very first day of school tomorrow. And I feel like someone has punched me in the gut. BARF
I'm putting on a super smiley face and nothing but positive slogan are pouring out of my mouth. But I'm weeping on the inside.
I think the part that bothers me the worst is that I feel sorry for them. They will be in school for the next 18 plus years. Hopefully. Their lazy fall, winter, spring days are a thing of the past. No more Nannies to spoil them and cater to their every need. No more impromptu fun days in the middle of the week. Our lives from here on out will revolve around their school.
When I asked HC if anything about school made her nervous she replied with "I'm not looking forward to all the work. And I don't want to be away from my sister." Quinn's reply to the same questions was "I don't want to be away from you all day." sniff sniff
I feel a bit overwhelmed with all the new rules, hours, dress code, etc. It will be a huge change for all of us.
But I've been working on getting everything in order for the past month of so.

First we started with shopping for uniforms. I took Maema, Nana and the girls to the uniform shop that was set up in 2 small hotel rooms near our house. It was hot and there was zero space. But we got it knocked out in an hour and I about burst with pride when I saw them in their little uniforms. They wear the smallest size they have available and some of it is still too big for them.

Thank you Maema for the camera phone pics! Hassie Clare never stood still long enough for a picture.

Afterwards, we went shoe shopping and found their little Saddle Oxfords. Thankfully they liked them because according to the girls, they could run super fast away from the buys in them (I have a feeling Daddy must be talking to them also). A few days later I knocked out all of the school supplies one night during a Target trip.

And finally, the moment I have dreaded for the past year arrived. Their 5 year old check-up. I told them a few weeks before the appointment what was going to happen. I explained to them that they were going to get a few shots. They handled the news fairly well, minus a few tears. I told them all of this in advance BECAUSE ... my mom took me to the doctor once and promised me that I was not going to get a shot or even see a doctor. She was back in the back with my sister and they came out and called my name. I assured them they had the wrong Kristi Hagel.  But they insisted on taking me back to "talk." Before I knew it, 3 lab coats were holding me down and they were giving me a shot in my leg. As you can imagine, I was highly pissed off. In fact, I'm still holding a grudge against my mother:) Of course, she has a different version of the story but I'm positive my memory is more accurate. I wonder what stories my girls will twist all around when they get older.
Anyway, the appointment day finally arrived. I didn't tell them that "the day" was here until we were eating lunch at Chick-fila before the appointment. That was a mistake! They were hysterical. Rookie mom mistake obviously. Wasted $10 in food because they barely ate anything after I broke the news.  By the grace of God, my mom was able to go with me even though she has a killer UTI. The girls were the most devastated because I did not tell them about the finger prick. I had no idea ... honestly! Overall, they did great. They spent about an hour before the shots crying and only 30 seconds after the shots crying. Then we went to Gracie Blue's for some frozen yogurt and Target for a new toy:)
Here they are in their little hospital gowns:

"Maybe if we give Mommy a really good, fake smile she won't make was get a shot."

I was super stoked to find out the L.L. Bean has Junior backpacks. I let them pick out the color (both picked pink) and had their name put on it. I still have mine form high school! Of course I had to get the matching lunch boxes. Then I ordered bows that match their uniform from our bow lady.

Let's see ... what us. Oh yeah ... I paid tuition. Ouch.

Yesterday we had "sneak a peek" at their school for an hour. They got the meet their teachers and both of them are as sweet as can be. One of them has taught at this school for 43 years. Can you imagine????? And teaching Pre-K on top of that! I don't think I would last a week without ending up in jail or the psych ward.
Last night we went to the "New Family Orientation." We all had a good time and we left there feeling confident and excited about new beginnings. It was exactly what we all needed.

So now it is the day before school starts and we are ready. I have spent countless hours talking to the girls about school, danger situations, trusting your teacher, asking for help, honesty, friendship, loyalty, hard word, fun, etc. I still feel like someone kicked me in the stomach but I feel confident that we picked the right school for us and our girls are ready to start this journey!

1st Hair Cut

Yes, I realize my kids turned 5 a few weeks ago. And yes, I have given them a few "homemade" haircuts in the past. Quinn's official first cut happened at 3. I trimmed the back of her hair to keep her from sporting a mullet. I usually just whack 3 or 4 inches off of Hassie Clare's.
Since Quinn is turning into one of those little girls that looks adorable in a "bob" I decided she needed a professional haircut. And Hassie Clare's long, curly mane was getting a little more then my hair cutting talents will allow. 

By "professional" haircut I mean a hair-cut by my friend (old high school buddy) that went to beauty school .... in her kitchen. Nothing but the best for my little chick-a-dees!

Quinn and her sassy little bob.

Hassie Clare has seriously good hair. I'm sure she will hate it someday.

**For the record, I cut hair in college while living in the dorm. My clients mostly consisted of the short-haired, softball players. I even had my own sharp scissors and a hair buzzer. I charged $5 a cut or weekly trims for $10 a month. I had about 10 regular clients. I ended up getting in trouble by the Residential Director in our dorm for conducting business in the hallways. So I moved my "business" to the community bathrooms! **


Did you notice that my friend "the professional hair-cutter" is also my friend that makes our "out of this world" cakes? Yes, I have multi-talented friends. I know, I know...I'm a lucky girl. She has been doing my hair since we were teenagers ... but don't hold that against her!

Paisely

I might be slightly biased but OMG ... is my neice the cutest thing in the world or what!!!!!  She brings so much joy and laughter to our family. Happy 4 month birthday to my sweet little Paisley Pineapple.

3.5 months old at the girls 5th birthday party

Rapunzel party + waterslide = 2 happy 5 year olds



My 5 year old old little girls with their super hero. Hassie Clare is holding Rapunzel's frying pan and Quinn is holding her hair brush.

 I am not a crafty person. In fact, I'm comfortable saying I'm the opposite of creative. But when the girls finally decided they both wanted a Tangled theme party, I knew I had to get my "crafty" on. It's not glamorous. Fairly simple. But we pulled it off.

I just realized I didn't get a picture of our outdoor decorations. I bought 2 large thingys of yellow yarn. We braided a 25ish foot braid with an extra large lavender bow at the end and hung it out of the upstairs window. It hung down in the front of the house and laid on the steps in the front yard (get it ... her long hair is coming out of the tower window:). I thought it was super cute and it made my girls giggle.

Look at the post on the right hand side of this pic ... you can kind of see the long braid and get the idea.

For 3-4 weeks prior to the party, Hassie Clare and Quinn started painting and cutting. They thought they should paint their own decorations since Rapunzel was a painter. They used large and small paper plates (for the sun pieces) and leftover, faulty, orange file folders that the Hammer's generously donated when they were shipped in error to their office. They make great art paper! After daily painting sessions (thanks to their nanny Meredith) we had enough art pieces to string up our decorations. I punched holes in the top of them and used lavender sting to decorate the kitchen and mantle in the living room. We decorated the window slabs on the doors with the sun pieces (if you haven't seen the movie you would not get it).

This is what the tops of my counter would look like at the end of every day. All of their masterpieces had to dry!

Of course my ever so talented friend from high school, Jennifer, created the cake. I told her a few specifics (tower, 2 separate small cakes for each kid)  and she went with it. She totally outdid herself on this one!

It was glittery, had flowers and tasted delicious (lemon and strawberry - the girls picked the flavors). Of course she used homemade buttercream frosting. It smelled up the whole kitchen. The picture does not do it justice!

You can see some of the girls decorations well in this pic. In case you are wondering, the large oblong things are wishing lanterns and the lizard looking things next to their name is Pascal (Rapunzel's best and only  friend that happens to be a Chameleon).

Party favors. Me, my mom and the girls headed to a craft store to find the perfect party favor to go with our theme. The girls wanted to give their guest either something sweet they could eat or something they could paint. We found these wooden masks for $1 and paints with a brush for $1.00. I printed off some labels (I noticed when uploading a pic that I goofed up .... the label is suppose to say "RAPUNZEL PAINTS Thanks for coming to our party. Lots of love (not love of love), Hassie Clare & Quinn. My few crafty brain cells were in full force which apparently hinders other areas of my brain. I braided yellow yarn, put the labels on the paints, tied it all together and BAM ... we have party favors.  We had a total of 24 kids but I only expected about 15. I made 20 just in case so some of the older kids got left out.

Rapunzel herself made a special appearance all the way from Jonesboro, AR Disneyworld. She was precious. She sang a song, read a book, played a game and visited with the girls. The boys at the party took cover in the play room when she arrived. All of the girls were gaga over her.

They are all dressed for the waterslide (swimsuits & cover-ups) but wishing they had worn their dress-up dresses!

A big girly group hug with Rapunzel.

The girls picked out all the party food. They said Rapunzel was a healthy girl and that she eats lots of fruit and veggies. So here was the menu they came up with:
broccoli, carrots & cauliflower with our fav Lite Ranch
blueberries, raspberries, grapes & pineapple (the raspberries disappeared before the party started... hhuummm)
Later they added:
Cheese dip from the Mexican place and chips
Pizza Rolls
I can only assume they were craving junk food when they added the last two. I added some guacamole to the list and picked up almost everything at Sam's a few days before. I was clearly mistaken when I thought 350 pizza rolls would be enough. But I didn't realize 45ish people would show up!

I picked up a couple "Pascal" metal table decorations at the dollar store.

After Rapunzel left we headed outside to the water slide. It was a sauna outside and the perfect way to end the party. We got to keep this thing all weekend. The next day we bellied up to it redneck style and had a big time!

I ordered a bunch of Wishing Lanterns (AKA Chinese Rice Lanterns). The movie is based around these wishing lanterns that the castle sets off every year on Rapunzel's birthday. They were much bigger then what I expected so I wasn't able to decorate with them like I planned. And ... we were not able to let them go after we would light them cause of all the trees and it was a fire hazard ....blah, blah, blah. So, I tied string to them and we fired a few up after most of their school friends left. I thought it was a sweet gesture even though it didn't turn out as planned.

You can see some of the wishing lanterns hanging from the back of the house. We saved a few to set off at the lake so the girls could make more wishes.

I did a terrible job of taking pictures. I hope some of my family got more pictures .... I literally have 20 pics and a little bit of video of the entire day ... and most of them are from before and after the party. But the look and excitement in my little girls eyes will be forever embedded in my memory. Hassie Clare brings me something of hers everyday and says "Here Mommy. This is for you for letting us have a great birthday party." This morning she brought me a sheet of stickers with only one sticker left and said "This is for you for letting us have cheese dip at our party." The truth of the matter is that we could have invited a few of their friends over to play on their swing set or their blowup pool, ate a Kroger cake and watched Tangled on the TV and they would have been just as happy and excited. I guess that is how 5 year olds roll!

Since their party, my little "Rapunzel's" have not gone anywhere without their frying pans, always want me to braid their hair and they never want to wear shoes .... just like their super hero.

A Father's Day to remember - 2011

Jamie is so wonderful that on Father's Day I let him cut the grass, cut up 3 trees that we lost during a storm last week and then haul it to the curb ... in 98 degree heat, go to the grocery store and finally ... grill our dinner. You're welcome sweetheart ... thank you for being such an amazing father to our little bambinos.

I try not to spoil him but I went up and beyond the call of duty by letting him take a nap in the middle of the day to shake off any heat stroke related symptoms from all the yard work.  All is well.

Despite the abuse, he is loved. Very, very loved. He provides for his children. He meets there basic needs. But what makes him so unique and special are the rare "fatherly" qualities he possesses. Here are some examples:

The girls believe that he is a real life prince. He danced with Cinderella just to see the stars in their eyes!

He stood up to the wicked step-mother so that Quinnie would not be afraid of her. It didn't work. Quinn stayed underneath the dinner table until the step-mother was out of sight. But it was the thought that counted.

He is the only one that can convince Quinn to do things she is afraid of.

He does goofy things just to make us smile. And because he is a goof-ball.

He actually enjoys spending time with his kids and loves new adventures.

 Happy Father's Day to our Prince. You truly are one of a kind!