Tornado of Presentry

BEFORE

AFTER

My Grandchildren

So Gabe tells me randomly tonight that he & his wife are going to have 2 sons. "And dat's it. No stisters."

I was both amused & surprised by this announcement, "Oh, what about your wife, what if she wants to have another in hopes of having a daughter? Some mommas want to try for a daughter."

"Nope. No girls. .... Well... okay, maybe I will. Yep- Me gonna have seven babies."

Flynn chimes in at this point,
"Gosh Gabe, that's a lot of babies. That's a lot of dirty diapers!"

Then he reasons it out & informs us,
"My wife will change them."

I'll try to keep this conversation from his future wife.

Ho-Ho-Ho & Mistletoe

2010 has ushered in & out my favorite holiday...Christmas: The day full of giving, warm fuzzies, & stocking-fuls of love.

It seems each year, that the holidays get a little easier; but part of that is bittersweet, it just means my babies are growing up. They no longer tumble out of a toddler bed & toddle into the livingroom, rubbing their eyes like a baby bear cub.
They bounce into our room, full of questions regarding the previous night's events... asking if Santa ate their snack... did his reindeer make noises on the roof.... and wondering when they'll get to go see what Santa has left them.Flynn's 'faith' in Santa doesn't seem to faulter but sheesh, does she have the questions. 'How does he get to so many places?' 'Where does he live?' 'Does Mrs. Claus help him?' 'What if there's a fire in the fireplace?' 'How does he fit down the chimney?' 'What if you're bad right before he comes?'

Gabe doesn't have faith so much, as anxiety. The poor fella, I thought I was going to have to give him a zanax the night before the big day. He actually broke down & cried & it took everything out of me not to spill the beans. He was worried that Santa would come into his room. And 'why does Santa have to check on me?'

Nevertheless, everyone awoke on Christmas morning, ready to start the unwrapping derby. And wow were we blessed this year to spoil our kiddos & each other.

I'm Late! I'm Late! For a very important Date!

No time to say,

HELLO!

GOOD BYE!

I'm late!

I'm late!

I'm late!


I'm late telling you, that is, about the wonderful & perfectly elegant & fun TEA PARTY Flynn was given in honor of her birthday.

Nana took over the plans & hard work as a gift to Flynn & rounded up as many secondhand dresses as she could. Then she altered them & embellished them & even had a hat or hair accessory for every single guest.

Fine china was set & each guest enjoyed a finger sandwich, pickle & chips...and of course, 'real' tea in a real tea cup.

After a fun game & the dress up time, the lunch & the (super duper cute) cake, Flynn enjoyed opening her gifts.

The tea guzzlers had an ah'mazing time & this party will not soon be forgotten.

Typical Saturday Morning at the Perrys

Listen for Gabe, halfway through, telling me to "turn off the radio; I want to sing the word of God." & by that, I think he means, "church songs".

Flynn has such monkey toes-- proof in that she can hold something between her toes THROUGH footed pjs.

Turkey Eve

'Twas the night before Thanksgiving...

EERRTT. It's night even the night before -- it's the morning of! Holy Insomnia it's 2 a.m., first thanksgiving in our new house.

And it's been many a moon since I've last blogged. Perfect time to catch up...

• Flynn's doing splendidly in school. She's part of the SKY ROCKETS program still & loves it.
• Gabe's doing splendidly in pre-school. He's in a multi-age classroom that's funded by a grant so everything's new & he loves IT ALL.
• Jeff's doing splendidly in school. He has a new principal & God has granted him (Jeff) favor.
• Amy's doing splendidly in school. I'm at a new building (in order to teach a primary grade) & I have forgotten (or maybe not?!) how much I love this age.
• Tomorrow, we host are very first Thanksgiving. We've had Thanksgivings before, but have never hosted them. Duh.
• We had a channel 5 reporter here tonight. He interviewed my whole family on our game plan for Black Friday. It was fun but I wish I was 75 lbs lighter.
• I'm worn out. I have waaaaaaaaaay too many irons in the fire. The only reason I don't sink is Jeff. He is my hero.
• Flynn took violin lessons this fall. She's about to have her last. I'm not sure I picked up on true talent. She hated practicing. Therefore - we will take a 9 month break. Next September if she's still interested, I will re-enroll her. At that time, I may or may not also enroll Gabe in something musical. HE shows major musical talent. His ear for music reminds me of my brother.
• We hosted a life group this past semester. It's also about to come to an end. We studied the truth in the bible...in other words, how do we know it's true. The kids really enjoyed us being the host house. They would ask all afternoon, every Sunday, "How much longer til our friends get here?"
• Flynn still LOVES girl scouts. And I still don't love being the girl scout leader. But ya do what ya gotta. And it's a little more enjoyable than last year.
• My shoulders still give me problems - cant' wait for surgery to rid myself of the problem once & for all.

Happy SEVENTH Birthday to my Baby Girl

Dear Baby Girl,

(who is not anywhere close to being a baby anymore but I don't care)

Today you turn seven.

I don't know if it's because you're not all that old, or if it's just sentiment, but I remember every conscious detail of the day you were born.

I remember packing a quick bag, getting the dog's stuff together, getting wheeled onto the labor & delivery floor and those really fast moving moments where we found out we'd be meeting you a whole lot sooner than we'd planned.

I also tearfully remember that next day when I had to kiss you good bye while you took an ambulance to a hospital in the city.

I remember making a promise to myself that I wouldn't have to tell you good bye again.

I remember your first Christmas... your first steps.... your first day of preschool... your first day of school...

I remember the first time you slept in a big girl bed & how little you looked.

I remember staring at your eye lashes & thinking they were so long brushing your chunky baby cheeks.

I remember the morning you told me that you wanted Jesus to live in your heart & how you wanted to be His friend.

This year you took on first grade & could add that to the long list of things you do well. And violin. And making your bed.

You enjoyed the beach again this past year & had your very first sleepover.

You raised money in your very own lemonade stand. Instead of keeping the money for yourself, you bought school supplies for kids who didn't have any. And never gave that a second thought.

You chose the color lavendar for the walls of your room in our brand new house.

Your training wheels came off your bike this past year & your "boyfriend" from last year became 'just' your "friend".

Sissy, you are such a special girl...with your curious quiet ways, your deep thought, your kind heart & mind full of questions.

You amaze me with your ideas & your selective sillyness & your hot-cold love for your little brother.

I pray this year brings you health and a heart full of love.

Love you to the moon & back again, five bajillion times.

Love,

Momma

My Buddy

My boy is the lovin'est kid ever.
He's never short an 'I love you.' He always has x's & o's for me.
He is truly, my love.

My Fantastic First Grader

Flynn is doing fabulous in first grade, just as we would've predicted. She is in her class with her Daisy Buddy Madelyn. They can be seen walking in the parade behind their teacher, hands held.
Flynn has even started to adapt her cackle to sound more like her pal's giggle.

Flynn has aced every single spelling test. She has aced reading tests. Almost aced all her math tests.

She has mixed feelings about me being her class neighbor. She doesn't seem to mind being able to zip into my class when the car-riders are dismissed. Then she's able to sit in my chair, behind my desk, showing off as she picks up my new(-to-me) iPhone & starts taking photos of my little first grade sweeties who are lining up for their departure.
But the feedback I've gotten from her is, "I wish you were still at your building Mom. Then I would get to ride the bus. I miss it."
WHO MISSES GETTING ONTO A HOT SMELLY BUS & WAITING & WAITING?

My girl. That's who.

Sunday Sickie With Sentiments

My boy was sick Saturday night, 103.5 temp. Sunday morning, we were obviously (even tho he felt better) not going to take Gabe to church.
He was NOT happy. Not. At. All.
It's my month for leading worship in KidsPoint so I had to let Jeff stay home with him while my girl & I went to church.
This made him even LESS happy.

But he was thrilled when I walked in the door that morning after church. His greeting was, "I yove you Momma."
Then he told me a few minutes later,
"You are the BEST Momma."

That my little buddy, is the best thing you could ever say to your momma.

Almost As Good as my Recliner

I love coming home, exhausted & tired-footed, & plopping down in my soft recliner.

But EVEN BETTER is sitting here tonight watching Gabe...

He's playing 'DJ Hero' (a mix-master wii game) wearing camouflage cut-off pants and COWBOY BOOTS.
It's almost too much. And I love it.

Despite His Verbal Challenge

My boy managed to spit out the funniest thing tonight after dinner, even though 1/5 of what he says is unintelligible.

He was eating dinner, just him & me. He finished his delish corndog & carrots meal, wiped his mouth, asked to be excused & stood to his feet. Looked at me & said,
"I'm eternally grateful."

Lemon-AID

My girl has been gun-ho for the lemonade business ever since she laid her eyes on a street-side stand. And I've put her off a lemonade season or two.

So, when our subdivision had a hood-wide sale, I figured it was time to explore her entrepreneural side.

Naturally, we asked her what 'cause' she'd like to raise for.

This was not easy for our girl whose heart gets easily tugged...and in several directions at that. With it being school supply season, we'd been talking a lot about those who couldn't afford them.

So, that was her cause of choice (although the whole time she was trying to talk me into also raising money for "food for people who can't afford food and who are hungry").

She made the above sign. Mixed her lemonade. And hired an assistant (sidekick: brother). They asked EVERY SINGLE person who walked up our drive. And sometimes Gabe followed potential customers into the garage. You could count on the fact that if a 'customer' didn't give, they were guilted by Dick the Bruiser Bubs.

Flynn raised over $30 & was able to buy a box chalked full of supplies for students in our building who started school without supplies.

God has allowed a planted seed in her heart to blossom into a pot of love & charity.

D' Peas

It was August. It was hot.
And so was my date....

Hot Hubs surprised me with concert tickets (for my birthday) for THE BLACK-EYED PEAS. The kiddos went to Nana's & HH & I took off for the city. First we went to Chevy's for din-din. Then we scooted down to the concert for some serious entertainment.

10 years since we laid eyes on each other. 9 years since we made that official. And our love... it's... still... CALIENTE. Muie, muie. (is that how you spell it?!)

Shaking His Money-Maker

Okay, so I had been discouraging Gabe from BENDING OVER & SHAKING HIS REAR END in front of others.

The next day, he wakes up with this announcement, "alright, the Perrys not like shaking them booties anymore."

Sometimes You Don't Know Whether or Not to Laugh or Puke

Gabe: Me yike the mell of burps.

That'll make a momma proud.

Briefs or Boxers?

Today Flynn said (mid-lunch) to Jeff's Dad, "What's under there?"

Dan replied, "Under where?" [underWEAR]

I don't know which part I like the best: the fact that she had the nerve to say it...or the fact that she kept a straight face while she did it.

Puddle Jumpers

It was a very rainy May. VERY rainy.
What better to do when the sky opens up?
Put on your boots & do some puddle-jumping.

These boots are nearly the same size.

A special (muddy) rock that Flynn found (& was quite proud of too, by the way).

It's funny how Flynn seems to have springs in her feet. Of course, when you have on rain boots, everything is magical.

Baby-Lover

My girl (& boy) is a baby-lover just like her momma.
And that Morris family just quenches our baby thirst; what with their having babies every year & all.

Last month when the newest addition, Emmitt, made his entrance, we couldn't wait to get up to the hospital to smell that brand new baby breath.

We held him, stroked his baby bird fuzz, & gave our parting wishes.

We were exiting the parking lot & finding our way back to the interstate when Flynn piped up from her seat in the back,
"I already miss him."

Out of the Mouths...

Gabe & Jeff were enjoying a little field trip to Bee Tree Park when they found themselves at the fountain, spending a coin to make a wish.

They tossed their coin, with eyes closed to make their wish even more effective.

Gabe opened his eyes, looked around with purpose & quizzically said,
"WHERE ME PIDAMAN CAKE?????!!"

Poor little soul thought the wish was going to show up when that coin hit the water's surface.

Dance

This little beauty is about to perform in another recital. She absolutely loves her routines, songs, costumes, & the chance to wear lip gloss & blush.
This is before pictures waiting to go back into the studio. She's in 2 dances with her regular class, and another, specialty dance (invitation only, a'hem).
Her specialty dance is one where each little girl is teamed up with a "big" girl (a teen/tween). They're performing to "Everybody Loves My Baby" & it's one of the cutest things I've seen. Flynn's partner is Renee & she thinks she's the cat's meow. Which she is. And Flynn is the kitten's meow.

It's Like Riding a Bike

I sadly admit that the good majority of my kiddos' lives they did not play outside, driveway or otherwise, on the wheel variety.

Our driveway was dangerously steep, as was our street. And we had no sidewalks. Therefore, most of their road-rage took place at one of the grandparents.

Since we moved in w/ Grammy & Peepaw, the kids have had their freedom on the great sidewalks & level driveway.

Last Saturday, Flynn & Gabe joined Nana & Papa on a bike riding field trip to a park called ROUTE 66 PARK in the old Times Beach close to Eureka.

While Papa was working on Flynn's bike, trying to make it more comfy, Nana suggested taking off the training wheels.

And Flynn hasn't looked back

T'Ree-ific

The other night we took the kids to a near-by park called BEE TREE PARK. It over looks the river & has a fun playground. My favorite was a nearby field (part of which was unfortunately recently cut).
I saw this tree, the perfect girth to hide my skinny-mini's torsos. I invited them to stand & lean. Do you think Bubs would oblige? Goodness no. But my girl, she's always game for a good photo session.

I asked her to hold the tree & lean. That one ended up a little fuzzy, so she did this instead.

and then this...
then came up with this....

so I snapped away & laughed all the while as how we can never do anything ordinary.

Ch'ch'ch'changes

Like my decision to leave 4th grade & move to the primary bldg (where Flynn is & where Gabe will be) to teach first grade.

Or our decision to move from our little town to an even smaller one next to it, to be part of the district where I teach (& where Flynn attends).

Or how we decided to build (or have it built) a new house & live in Jeff's parents' house while we do so. (bless their hearts)

It's all a part of the changes that make sure we're where we want to be, when we want to be. In other words, THIS IS THE LAST TIME I MOVE! :)

Yes! She Blogs!

Wow! It's been a while -- there is a LOT to catch up on.
Stick around & be ready for a fast tour of 2010 so far.

8

8 years...

love that's grown

spirits that have been renewed

life that's been created

almost a decade

that you've known my heart

altho it seems like forever

i love you jeff...

thank you for all you've taught me

and helped me learn

happy anniversary

What Color is Your Parachute?

Here is a conversation I heard from the driver's seat on one of our many, many long drives...

Gabe "When me get big me gonna 'drive' a plane and be a yeacher."

Flynn: "Well, I'm gonna be a tooth fairy."

Rabbit Flynn Gets a Loose Tooth...

There was a little girl named Flynn. She didn't have a single tooth in her head until a few weeks before her first birthday.

It seemed as though her teeth were shy. They didn't like to come & they didn't like to go. When she started Kindergarten & most of her friends had lost several, she hadn't lost any.

She turned six & continued to check for any 'wiggleness' in her teeth. But nothing.

So imagine her Momma's surprise when Flynn came bounding off the bus with her finger on a bottom tooth. "I have a loose tooth!"

And Flynn wiggled that tooth so much that day that her Daddy had to give her a motrin to make the pain dull enough to sleep.

Days have went by & that stubborn tooth has yet to budge. Maybe, just maybe, Flynn will lose a tooth by the time she's seven.

Another Chapter...

Wow, this has been a year (school, not calendar mind you) of firsts...and lasts...and everything in between.

And another chapter that closes is the one entitled, OUR FIRST HOME. On the pages you'll find Jeff's marriage proposal, scrapbook pages full of construction photos, new babies, and the like.

Excitement & busyness now takes the spot of what would be sadness or lumps in our throat.

Things moved rapidly & we have mere weeks to wrap up our lives here & start an unknown voyage of some sort of homelessness.

It's exciting to see what God has in store for us & our abode.

Fur

My boy is a snuggler. He's also a lover not a fighter. And when we've spent the day apart, like we do every single week day, he makes up for it, in affection.

So, after we were reunitied, I held him in my lap. He kissed my hand, told me that he loves me, & we 'nuggled.

He nuzzled into my neck with his sharp little nose & looked up at me,
"Me wish you had fur Momma."

Gabe's New 'Cool

(school)

Gabe started school a couple of days ago. The "preschool", or 'my cool' as he calls it, is actually a little short program provided by the early childhood classes of the high school.

The classroom is fixed up really cute & decked out w/ lots of fun toys. He is using his cute train backpack, donned w/ his name.

The first day, he told me on the way, "I hope I get to be with a girl." And sure 'nough, he was teamed with A GIRL high school buddy. He smile was so big, it looked like a sideways banana.

His teacher comments on how well-behaved & sweet his is. And he is having a blast.

Another Thing to Feel Guilty About!

And that's the fact that I never have time (take time) to blog anymore. So all these cute & funny sayings are going undocumented. The clever stories the kids tell & things they do that are blog-worthy, are lost in my memory....which we all know is as good as gone.