“Mommy, I Read It All By Myself!”

Within the last couple of months, Keri has taken off with reading. This was the first “long” book she has read on her own. She laid on her bed and devoured it in a little over an hour. Apparently she has seen how much her parents love to escape in their books .

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Sandy of 4 Reluctant Entertainers is hosting a contest on her site in honor of her first bloggy anniversary. Make sure you check it out.

Keri’s First Soccer Game

(In case you were wondering, the “Kitten Cheetahs” won their game. However, there is no official score.  Instead the siblings and parents secretly kept a quiet tally on the sidelines .)

The Efficiency Gene

Or maybe we should call it the lazy gene. Whatever it is, I have definitely passed it on to my daughter.

Every morning Keri is responsible for an array of chores, one of which is to fold up the blankets on her bed. She is a very helpful girl and I am grateful that most of the time she accomplishes her jobs without complaining. However, just like most humans she is always looking for ways to make her life easier.

Tonight when she was getting ready to climb in bed she proudly proclaimed, “I am going to try and not use any of my blankets tonight so I don’t have to fold them up in the morning.”

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If you don’t see me around much this week, it is because I am out playing with my family who is visiting from out of town!

Fast

Even though we are very grateful for our little two bedroom apartment, Rudy and I can’t wait until we are able to move to a bigger place. Things tend to get kind of cramped when you have two adults, one first grader and one rambunctious two year old living in a relatively small amount of space.

Keri is also getting to the point where she is itching to have more space. She relishes the day she can go to a room and shut the door and quietly play with her toys without younger brother destroying everything she does. She also longs for the ability to be able to walk as loud as she wants, run around and freely practice cartwheels since no one will be living below her.

She knows these things won’t be a reality until Daddy is done with school. Whenever she asks for a pet, or a garden or anything else where we need to own a house I tell her, “When Daddy is done with school we can move and get a this or be able to do that.”

I think she is getting a tad impatient for the doctorate degree to be done with because as Rudy was leaving the house today to go to school, Keri called out:

“Daddy, you need to do your homework … (long pause) … FAST! So we can move to a house.”

If only he had just a little bit of homework to complete and not an entire dissertation to write and defend.

Bumping Around

Keri just recently acquired her first pet, a betta fish given to her as a birthday gift by our good friend. She named it Kanea.

Watching her watch her prized fish reminded me of a conversation she and I had not too long ago.

Keri: “Why do fish live in the water?”

Me: “Why do you think they do?”

Keri: “Because if they lived on the land they would have to go bumping around on their tummies since they have no legs.”

I am glad that is not my mode of transportation.

Happy 6th Birthday, Keri

Dear Keri,

All day I have been trying to get to the computer so I could type up your birthday letter, but it has been one of those incredibly long and drawn out days where mommy seems to just barely be surviving. Your little brother, Cory, has been on one the last few days. Granted he doesn’t feel well and neither do I and as a result we have all been stuck in our teeny apartment feeding off of each others volatile emotions. It doesn’t help that the weather has been gloomy and gray. It wouldn’t be so bad if we didn’t live in the Pacific Northwest, but we do and consequently we only get sunshine a few months out of the year. Thus, to have it disappear when I need it the most makes me that much more irritable.

Regardless of all this, though, I am so blessed to have you in my life. As cheesy as it may sound, you are my sunshine and anyone who knows you and your sweet and tender personality can vouch for me on this. Your bright, big blue eyes are full of trust and love and your smile and laugh are contagious and infectious. The spirit and calmness you bring into our home is soothing and peaceful, especially since you tend to be so even keeled.

Every day I

My Little Gymnast

“I Want It Cut To My Chin”

Keri wanted her hair cut for her upcoming birthday party. I wanted it cut so she would stop complaining about brushing it when it got toothpaste and milk in it.

It is a win win situation for both of us.

Happy Kindergarten Graduation, Keri!

I am Crazy and Hip …

I just thought I would let you know in case you were wondering … okay, maybe I am not that hip, but at least I was nominated by Michelle of Scribbit to be Member of the Week over at Crazy Hip Blog Mama’s. Check out my electrifying interview .

Evidently Keri thinks her kindergarten teacher is ultra hip because today on the way to school she burst into tears while proclaiming she doesn’t want to go to first grade. This is a change of pace from just a few days ago. She wants to stay in kindergarten because she wants Ms. H to stay her teacher. I think these last few weeks of school will be a bit tender for her.

And even if you might not think I am all that hip, at least Kim of

Who Wore It Better – Keri or Sanjaya?

Keri’s First Choir Concert – At Least She Had The Decency To Stay Modest

In case you were wondering, this picture was not taken intentionally. It was purely caught on accident !!