The Garden (carrots!)

The girls planted a garden this year. This is the last veggie to be harvested...carrots!

Butterfly Kisses

Grace picked up a leaf with a butterfly. After sitting on our fingers for a minute, the butterfly flew off. A neat little blessing while waiting for Angi to finish her personal best marathon in St. Charles.

Fun Meet

Grace wants to attend a "fun meet" at the gymnastics center on Saturday. I asked her what they do at the fun meet. She said, "Do different stuff to show off your skills to the world." Nice!

Reading with the Bears

Grace reading to the bears while sitting in the chair that I bought Paige in Karamanmaras, Turkey (2001).

Eckert's!

"Head and Shoulders" shampoo

A couple nights ago, Grace called out from the shower...asking Paige to hand her the "Head & Toes" shampoo!

Dear Dad

Grace gave me this note before I departed for a week of training in San Antonio (couple weeks ago). "Dear Dad, I now you will miss me. I love you. Grace" Confidence?!

holding the hummingbird

Paige and Grace got to pet an exhausted hummingbird (stuck in garage). After a 30 min rest and a long drink at the feeder, he flew away!

"I miss being a baby."

Grace just said to me, "I miss being a baby." I asked her why. She said, "because now I have to feed myself." Paige said, "I don't miss it...glad I don't have to wear a diaper!"

Dead Beaver, Funeral Balloon

After Angi beat Grace in 3 straight games of Skip Bo, Grace said, "that's it, I'm the dead beaver!" ?????

Angi asked Grace where she got a balloon. She said, "at Dad's funeral." Angi said, "you mean his promotion?" Grace, "oh...ya."

"No problem"

On the way home from Freeburg Mass, Paige was working on math problems. She asked me if I could help her with the problem when we got home. I said, "no problem." Grace laughed and said, "NO problem...Dad can't help you." Ha!

Author Unknown

I've been reading short stories to Paige and Grace. Last night, after reading the title, I said, "Author Unknown." Grace said, "that's a funny name for an author!" I explained that the author was not known.

Teeth

Grace has a loose tooth, so teeth are a big topic lately. I tried to pull her loose tooth, but it was not ready. Paige wrote me this note, "Dear Dad, I forgive you from hurting my tooth. Love, Grace" While Bobby and Christi Aborn were visiting, Grace said to Christi, "Do you know your teeth are the only bones you can see on your body?"

Chicken with brown sugar (recipe)

Grace wrote out this recipe: "Tack any chicken cook it for 45 minutes. then put brown sugar on the chicken and then cook it for 5 minutes. And. your. done."

Funny stuff

While gardening last weekend, I mixed manure in with the soil. Grace said, "this dirt smells like poop." She was shocked to learn that it was poop!

While at our hotel in Branson last week, I knocked on the door after a morning run, and Grace said, "it might be room service." Ha!

Book Reports (1st grade record!)

Grace did 32 book reports this year...and received a special certificate. Mrs Wagner has been teaching for over 30 yrs and has never had anyone do that many! Grace would finish them faster than Mrs. Wagner could make the next report. Grace is focused and competitive...wants to win. May she always focus her pursuits in God's will...and remember faithfulness is success.

Mass comments (birthday)

* The Bishop presided for our Mass this past Sunday. Daughter Grace (7) said, "Do you think the Bishop knows it's my birthday? I think God had the Bishop come for my birthday." Daughter Paige (10) said, "The Bishop is a star for Jesus." May we all strive to let God's light shine through us...to be stars for Jesus!

adult code, listen up

Angi and me were talking in our secret code. Paige asked what we were talking about. I told her it was code for our adult visit. Grace said, "I know the code...it's 1-2-3-4." Ha!

To get our attention, Grace said, "everybody listen up...except me." Ha!

genes vs pants

Over the Easter weekend, Dani said, "Art is in my genes." Grace said, "Do you know what is in my pants? Silliness!"

Dairy Queen & Burger King

Angi wrote...

On the way to school this morning, Grace said "Why don't Dairy Queen and Burger King just get married. Ya know King and Queen, Mom."

"ah very very sad letter"

Grace wrote this letter on Tuesday everning, 2 Mar...after we asked her to stick with the first book she picked for a book report...she also didn't get dessert that night because she didn't finish her meal. The title of her letter was "ah very very sad letter". Notice she didn't sign it with "love". Grace is only six...what is this letter going to look like at 16?!

"Dear Mom and Dad,

I feel very sad. Win you
said I had to do
Clifford. Or win you
said I cudnot have
drsurt. Those to thing
rilley hrt my
feelings. I feel like
a ... servant.

From: Grace"

First snow accumulation of the season