Theme Thursday - Black and White

Yay TT in B&W...

I didn't love black and white pics until I knew how to edit them. 

Desaturate. Set a white point. Set a black point and bam. Done.  

I'm getting to get A to sleep through the night and if he wakes up to eat a bit and then head back to sleep without a full feed. 

Also, I went out and bought a sippy cup today. Battle lines are drawn kid, you need to be able to eat without me in a month. 

Theme Thursday - Rule Breaker

Here's to participating but not following the rules...

Everyday during Advent is there is a #holylens prompt/theme/something you can take a pic of - which is being taken over by Theme Thursday for these final days until Christmas. I'm just going to fit my pics into the prompts for each day even though I didn't actually take them on the day because that's how I roll

Remembered:

Part of our Advent activity for week 4 (orthodox/ eastern Catholic Advent is 40 days - not 4 weeks), we went to say prayers at a couple graves of our departed family and friends. 

Tree

E's finished crafty homework project for the month complete with two kinds of pom-poms and Elsa and Anna stamps (aka ornaments). Thank goodness for the hot glue gun because we could have not formed the star or gotten the lights to hang on the tree without it. She's actually not too afraid of the glue gun anyone so she just tells me where she needs a dap and I make it happen. I'm not ready to completely wash my hands of the crafting yet because I think she'd go through a pack of glue sticks per art project if the glue gun were in her hands. 

Rest

The lighting in this picture is so weird. I think of Tiny Tim when I look at M. Fortunately she's just relaxing and resting : ) 

Angel

E's costume arrived for her school play. I got it from Amazon warehouse - which means that it had been opened and returned - so I got a discount on it. Outside of the small stain on the front - which came out with a wipe - and the halo needing a few daps of hot glue - it was worth saving the few extra dollars. Also, I got the 3-4 size and it fits perfect. Same brand as her All Saints Day Dress (which was enormous and needed way too may safety pins) and I imagine we'll be hitting them up for future costume needs. 

Daughter

Just enjoying the pretty fall colors on our walk this afternoon : ) 

There's way more to our story from the week and maybe I might get around to telling about it in tomorrow's quick takes. I make no promises. 

Theme Thursday - Portraits

Taking a break from Week in my Life...

I took these pictures the day before Halloween. These are the ones from my phone but I did bring out the real camera... These will suffice for now

These were our fall pics from last year - In fact it was a Theme Thursday post but the sun was much better. This year I was desperately late and didn't have my act together thanks to a 3 week old : ) 

Getting four kids to look at the camera is nearly impossible so cuteness tends to make up for it

I've always taken each kids picture in this pumpkin outfit for their first Halloween. Considering M wore it last year and she was a few days shy of one, you might imagine that A was swallowed by it. 

Now, these won't be our Christmas card pics unless a get super desperate and the bribes of Sweet Tarts (because they are small and not messy and 2 yr olds can eat them while pictures are being taken) don't work. 

My all time favorite Christmas card outtake is from 2012 - and I've never snapped one as fantastic as that one. 

Here are our previous Christmas cards:

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

Happy Advent!

Theme Thursday - Catchlight

Dedicated to the many faces of 25 day old baby A

So glad TT is back...

Why aren't you giving me a change? 

Why aren't I eating?

Why am I not asleep?

A and I have been back to work for the past two weeks and he's doing great. He really just wants to be eating or sleeping - right on top of me. There are worst fates I could endure than having a newborn snuggled up with me : ) 

Theme Thursday - Crack (me up)

Okay so the theme is crack and I have been wanting to post our recent (except not because I have been adding to this list for months) Overheards because the kids really do crack us up. No one else will probably find them nearly as funny as we do but in case you are interested in what's been said around here… 

Random Guy at Sam's Checkout - Where do you go to church
Me - Oh, it is a Ukrainian Catholic mission in Raleigh
RG - Oh… Well you and your girls are all in skirts or dresses and that's uncommon
Me - ...

Lady - Oh my, that is Lee's child

Me - Yeah she definitely is

Lady - I mean, did you have any part in her?

Me - Well… yes

E - When are we going trick-a-treating?
Me - In October
E - Tricka-treat is that word in Spanish?
Me - No. Actually it is three words in English. Trick-or-Treat

Papa - Where's the peeler?
E - Oh the stripper?
Papa - …
E - It's in the dishwasher. We used the stripper at lunch
Papa - The strippers in the dishwasher?
E - We used the stripper for the apple skin at lunch…

E - I had samples at the store with Grammy
Me - Oh
E - Samples and cookies. That's why she's a nice Grammy

Me - Look at those cows
E - Where?
Me - All together on your side (of the van)
E - What are they doing? About to frow up?
Me & Papa - {Dying laughing because yeah that definitely fits the bill?!?!}

E - What's that crane for?
Me - They are probably lifting something heavy for that building
E - Oh
Me - Papa uses a crane sometimes when he's putting in a pool
E - Why does Papa need a crane? He is a strong man
Me - Well the pools are really heavy
E - But he has lots of muscles

E - Do y'all want y'all's off?
Me - Ma'am?
E - Do y'all want y'all's nightlight off?

E - Is your's oval
Me - No
E - Is your's oval?
Me - My what?
E - Oval?
Me - What?
E - Is your face oval?
Me - No I don't think so
E - Yes it is because it is pretty stretched out

E - Can you put these little scraps in the trash
Me - I think you can do it
E - Don't you want to be helpful????

E - One time there was a mouse in Mrs Cheryl's bathroom
Me - Oh what was it doing?
E - It might have been taking a bath
Me - One time there was a mouse in Jibbe's house
E - Yea
Me - What was it doing?
E - It might have been eating out of her peanuts
Me - Is that a good idea?
E - No

E- Mama!!!!! my pants keep getting on backwards!!!!!!
Me - I'm sorry
E - But they're backwards!
Me - Well take them off and turn them around
E - But it's your fault!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Me - Goosey goosey gander wither shall I wander. Upstairs and downstairs in the lady's chamber
E - What's a lady's chamber?
Me - Her room
E - Is that how you say it in Spanish?

E - I don't like bees! I don't like beeeeeees

Me - It's not bothering you 

E - It's on our plant!!!!

E - Mami… I stopped eating my feet nails
Me - Oh, when did you start?
E - I stopped!
Me - That's good. But when did you start?
E - I stopped!!!
Me - I did not think you did that? When did you do that?
E - Oh, when I was 2.

Me - How was your pumpkin cookie?
E - It was good.
Me - What did it taste like?
E - The cookie tasted like… PUMPKIN and the inside tasted like chicken noodle soup!
Me - Ewwww
E - What, chicken noodle soup is good!

E - I don't wanna go to hell
Me - Me too. That's why to have to always do the right thing
E - R, do you want to go to heaven too?
R - I wanna go to Grammy-house
E - But you don't want to go to hell?
R - I wanna to go to Grammy's house
E - R!!!!!! You need to go to heaven too!
R - Grammy House!!!!!!!

E - Where's Uncle Kevin
Me- He's sleeping
E - He's sleeping forever
Me - He's old
R - Papa's… old… man

R - It hot!

Me - No it's not too hot

R - It spy-cee

Me - No it's not 

R - It cold

Me - Eat it so you can have cake

R - Pink Mac-a-loan-niiii

R - {sniff sniff} I mell {sniff} tum-ting

R - That wittle fang

R - My wittle weg

R - Where your speckle?
Me - On my arm. I have a few freckles
R - I no see no speckles

Me - Who's ready to see Nani
R - Meeeeee…. B-i-n-G-ooooo

Me - R what are you thankful for today
R - … {thinks a little} Mmmm… Tweetle Beetles

R - Who dat woooo-fing?

{long silence near the end of church}
R - {from the front row} WE DONE?

R - We go in a pink-ka-la?
Me - No its too cold for bathing suits

Me - Why did you go pee-pee in your undies?
R - {sad eyes} I wanna be a sock-a play-a!!!!!!!

Theme Thursday - Good Job

Gosh I have missed doing these TT posts! Gets my blogging juices going for 7QTs for Friday… Anyhow...

So apparently Grover is 'taking a test' and he has been since Tuesday - I think. E is 'helping' him when he needs it so for the amount of time he has spent on this test I'll bet he's done a good job. 

I thought Grover was wedged up against the table and the chair together but as Papa observed last night he is actually sitting on a pot so he can do his work - sorry the pic did not come out. 

Oh and if you're wondering where this 'testing' concept came from… Nani is having an audit done at her job this week and we brought her some cake on the first morning (because everyone deserves cake the day the auditor arrives!). Nani could not stay long and chat with the girls - which they LOVE to see her in the mornings on the way to school. Well, how do you explain an audit to a 4 yr old? A really long test that the man checks many numbers on Nani's computer. 

Thus the concept of test was born in the Kibbe house

Theme Thursday - Panic

We hit the tape hard last week for Papa's birthday presents and totally ran out of scotch tape. And the girls have a birthday party to go to today so circa 6 am this morning I was THRILLED to find another roll. Because you know even though I've known we needed tape for 5 days... I did not get any. 

So we gathered around the table for a ceremonial present wrapping a good 7 minutes before we needed to leave the house - because that's how we roll here. But here's the thing the new roll of scotch tape had been started and not turned over upon last use, which means you and pick and pick and pick at it and it WON'T start... So in my tape panic I used Heavy Duty clear duct tape to wrap a 4 yr old's present. 

Judge me. 

I had no other choice. 

So that tape is actually AWESOME for wrapping presents because there is just about zero paper movement and the dispenser won't let you lose that sticky part of the tape.

I'm putting on the finishing touches and doing that last nice neat and boxy fold over (giving myself a little pat on the back for how good it looks) and I panic yet again because I think:

"Oh I wonder if I took the price tag off. And I just wrapped this present in duct tape so there is no chance in the world of my being able to check without tearing the whole thing up"

#winning

#goodthing4yroldcannotreadpricetags

#classy

Next birthday party is 36 hours after this one so I have ample opportunity to get tape or just take off the price tags... 

Theme Thursday - Pool

Again… Gonna pull the cobbler's kid wisdom here. Cobbler's kid doesn't have shoes… Well pool man's kids sure don't have a pool… 

For those of you who don't know. Lee lives and breathes pools. I mean he (and his mom) owns a swimming pool company so summer is all pool. So one might imagine that we have this fantastic pool with all the bells and whistles and light shows and fountains and slides and diving board and water cannons… Pretty much the end all, be all pool. 

But here's the thing. We don't 

E and R would love to have a pool and they are actually quite creative when containing enough water in something to call it a pool, but Lee does not want to maintain our pool. Note the OUR. He maintains a number of pools for our fantastic customers but he would not want to spend his spare time (because he got loads of that during the summertime, I promise) cleaning a pool in our backyard. Heck we have a spa that is nearly new might require one piece of new tubing BUT let's just say, it's not been fixed. Since I was pregnant. With R. Yeah.

Point of Le Story is we're happy with our puddle jumper pools. 

Theme Thursday - Fences

Going totally abstract here so bear with me… BIG TIME

Now what could these two pieces of paper have absolutely ANYTHING to do with fences? 

I was on the fence about Catholic school. In particular where to send E for pre-K. 

Here's the thing. Her preschool now has a pre-K class. The schedule works perfectly with my work schedule. She knows everyone. She has been going to Mothers Morning Out there since before she was walking (tear). It feels like family over there. 

So why would we possibly want to start her at the Catholic school when everything is AWESOME… and I mean it, at the current preschool. 

1. There is only one Catholic elementary school in the tri-county area we live in. (actually it is probably more like 10+ counties but you get the idea)

2. NC school vouchers go into effect this fall (maybe)

One of my biggest concerns about not enrolling E in pre-K is not being able to get a spot in the school for Kindergarten. No the classes are not maxed out currently but with the voucher program likely getting implemented in the fall I am guessing that enrollment will be seeing an uptick. Also, we are not parishioners at this Catholic church so we don't really have priority if space was limited. 

So no big deal… Enroll her right? 

WRONG. So wrong that it is not a big deal. With my work schedule I have been able to work it so that I drop the girls off and pick them up and work from home in the afternoons. BUT the Catholic school pre-K program starts 30 minutes sooner and lets out an hour earlier than the current preschool. Reality check: We'll have to leave the house 35 minutes earlier than we do now. I'll have R and M waiting in the parking lot of their school for at least 20 minutes before it opens. How am I supposed to pick up E an hour early than the girls? Praying for a carpool buddy. Then if carpool buddy does not happen I'll have to pick up R and M from school then drive to get E after she eats lunch at school which will put our van rolling into the garage at LEAST 20 minutes later. Then I'll have to pack E a lunch in the mornings. And forget it come Kindergarten year because pick up is SMACK DAP IN THE MIDDLE OF REST

As I have hopefully proven… Enrolling her at the Catholic school is COMPLICATED for my LIFE!

Now if you really want to hear about some craziness let's just say I was toying with the idea of HOMESCHOOLING. Yes you are reading that correctly I actually gave serious thought to homeschooling and so serious that I mentioned it to Lee. 

Why would I consider homeschooling? 

Common Core. 

I don't know everything about it but I have heard some less than great things about it. Plus I've talked to a few moms who are homeschooling and LOVE it plus just about every blog I read is about a Catholic homeschooling family. Plus isn't it our jobs as parents to educate our children? What could possibly be more important? Vocational crisis. 

Basically I was having a total crisis. T-O-T-A-L. Being a mom is hard, people! So where do I turn? To a mama who works and has all her kids in Catholic school. Thanks blog-o-sphere. And the biggest take home truth from that email is: whatever decision is made, it is not permanent. 

Feeling mildly more at peace with the idea of Catholic school or even any school for that matter… We press forward

Well in addition to the craziness that caused the blog shortage of last week, Lee and I toured the local Roman Catholic school where he happened to go to school for 8 years way back in his more youthful days. He really does credit his Catholic education to bringing him back to church after he had a bit of a hiatus in his teens (along with the Holy Spirit leading him back, of course). 

His Kindergarten teacher is the interim principal and I am kind of bummed she likely won't teach E - but maybe. She showed us around and to the pre-K room (and the other rooms of course). The pre-K teacher seems really great and has LOTS of energy as any preschool teacher requires. We learned about the specials and the kids go to Mass every Friday and they have field trips etc etc. So we sat down with the principal and my first question: "So what's the story with Common Core?" {that's not exactly how I worded it but you know!}

The short answer: Common Core is not a curriculum. It is a set of standards/goals that kids meet at the end of each grade. We teach every subject with Catholicism at the center. 

Next question, "Our kids have already been fully received into the Church - baptism, confirmation, communion - will that be an issue" {I knew that it would not be but wanted to toss that into the mix because the girls can receive Communion if the priest will give it to them Now there is one priest in the Roman Catholic diocese we live in who WILL NOT give Communion to Eastern Catholic children under the age of 2nd grade even though the Roman Catholic Bishop of this diocese will. That is neither here, nor there for the purposes of this post}

Back to the question, no it is not a problem. 

{E has not wanted to receive Communion at this church which is fine because we have not talked to the priest about it first and foremost. She will likely go to First Confession / First Penance with the rest of her second grade class unless she wants/needs to go sooner.}

Also, I was happy to find out that this school is accredited with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. 

So while I'm still not 100% sold on the Common Core answer; I cannot argue with the Catholic aspect of the education. And like I've been told - we can take it year by year. I have NEVER thought I have been called to homeschool but I cannot say I have ruled it out for the rest of my mothering years. I'll be listening for whispers in case we ever need to change our current course. 

As parents I think that teaching our children and passing down our beliefs to them is ever so important so the way in which they are educated - homeschool, public school, private school - should not be a decision that is taken lightly. 

Maybe we'll be on the fence every year. Hopefully we can be at peace with the decisions we make. 

I would LOVE to hear you stories/insights into schooling your kiddos!

Theme Thursday - Hearts

Okay I can finally say it. The single best part of my Valentine's Day was…. My hubby getting home from his week long retreat/excursion/spiritual recharge. 

Forget the candy and the cards - well no, don't do that - but seriously so glad he's home. Next year I am getting cards from the $1 section at Hallmark and I think Lee and I will have to cap our card amount at $5 because those babies are pricey!

Anyhow, I have not said ANYTHING about him being gone on the blog because I don't want any creepers knowing I'll home along with 3 kids because it FREAKS me out enough. I tried not to be too much of a whiner and complainer (one year I was kinda vicious) about him going because I once read that marriage and part of the Cross of marriage is making sacrifices for your spouse and if that includes him going on a week long retreat so that he can come back a better man/husband/father than offer it up, realize the value of it, and move forward knowing it is the best thing for your family even though the 168 hours might be crazy long (and include 3 schools day off from school!)

I did make heart shaped muffins for breakfast. In year's past I have done heart shaped cupcakes but I opted for muffins and candy this year. The girls welcome a break from the usual cereal grind. 

M was my fearless, talkative helper. 

Why are Valentine's cards so insanely expensive? Because Hallmark exes are brilliant capitalists so more power to them. Seriously though. Next year. Me. .99 card aisle. Like whoa. 

Theme Thursday - Bear/Bare/Barren?

R's post rest destruction

Barren crib = messy floor

The bears during E's rest....

Baseball teddy meet Pink Bear (aka Lotso)