Cookies, Art and a Little Chart

It's that time of year....woooohooooo! I adore fall with all my little heart so it was time to bust out with the cookie cutters and frosting. I always love cooking together with PandaGirl. She is great in the kitchen! These aren't the most beautiful cookies, but they are made with love and are part of our tradition that I hope PG will one day look back on with fond memories of her and her mom in the kitchen just being together.


PG's favorite thing to do on her own is art. She loves to make books, scrapbooks, family drawings, the cat, the dog, the Princesses...whatever her little heart desires. Well, her long beautiful legs have out-grown her Little Tykes Step 2 art table, but her art has expanded. We found this great sketch table that will grow with her forever. It is PERFECT for her and sits right in our living room. She has been very busy "designing" clothes for all the Princesses to wear (just like in the movies). Love it!

PG is six. She is precious. She has attitude. She needs guidance.

We started this chart for her to earn gold stars and a reward for 1st time obedience and then other stickers for a few daily chores like teeth brushing and making her bed. There is also a place for "X" when she rolls her eyes, argues or sulks over whatever she was just asked to do. So far, so good. This approach really seems to hit home with her. Her love language is a strong "Quality Time". Just to spend some one-on-one time with her for even as little as ten minutes...she is a new person. She longs to "help" do something with one of us. She truly is precious and tender-hearted, but when bored, hungry or doesn't get exactly her way, well, she's quite a bear. We had to find some way to let her feel successful and accomplish what we need to teach her as well. We'll see how long this little approach works. Hmmm.

4th Tea Time

I always love this time of year! I adore anything fall and was blessed by the Lord to have my daughter's birthday in October. PandaGirl's 6th birthday is this coming Monday on the 6th. She also just lost her 6th tooth today. Hmmmm....something about that "6" this year, I guess. ; )

As per our tradition, we went to a tearoom today to celebrate PG's b-day and of course, she got to pick out a new teacup for her collection. This was our fourth time to participate in this darling tradition and our special guests this were her Daddy's parents. It just so happens that they were passing through town on this day and we wanted them to be a part of this sweet time. Next year's special guests will be PG's other grandparents.

PandaGirl decided to add to her teacup collection a beautiful Blue Willow cup and saucer which we pulled out for her to use at lunch since the tearoom's cups were...less than dainty.

I always love tearoom food!

This was a very fun chandelier!

Kindergarten Success!

All in all I have to say that PandaGirl loves her Kindergarten class and teacher. Although, on Wednesday, the third day after the novelty of the first two days had worn off she was downcast in her face when I picked her up. I asked her what was wrong and she responded with, "I really missed my mom and dad today." Sniff, sniff.....from Mommy! She had little tears in her eyes and it just about killed me!!!!! She is doing great and was bee-boppin' all around the next two days.

Thanks for your prayers on her behalf and on behalf of our little man in Haiti wading through Gustav as well as for me starting my new job full-time. We are having to adjust to our new lifestyle, but it is what we need to do to bring our son home. Believe me---I can't wait until June 6th when I become a SAHM again! ; )

This is our little monkey in action before school...

First Day of...

PandaGirl got off to a great start and loves Kindergarten!

The End of a Chapter...

PandaGirl's last day of preschool was Friday. Her "graduation" ceremony was actually last Monday so Friday was just a fun stress-free day for the kids and teachers. She was making me laugh after school by being in her room and making up a song with lyrics along the lines of "I'm not a Bluebird anymore...I'm going to Kindergarten...I'm so great" etc. Very funny! We are now looking forward to Kindergarten, are enrolled and have found out that her school is very good. That makes me be able to stomach the public school things I don't like...a wee bit more.

Both classes of kids headed to Kindergarten in the fall had fun on the last day of preschool enjoying popsicles outside together.

Friday night was spent celebrating SpicyGirl's daddy's graduation from college! It was a long time in coming, but it is now finally complete! Way to go DaddySpice...the PandaFam is so proud of you! It's always a fabulous treat to see our precious SpicyFamily whom we love so much!!!

Wordless Wednesday-#22-Just Being a Kid

Wordless Wednesday-#21 Big Girl

Lookout BATMAN!

My darling little Bat-girl! Our preschool holds a fabulous Art Show for birth through age 4. All the art is child generated with the teacher's guidance. Our director does not want any kind of help from the teacher so that the kids' parents are seeing what the CHILD can do, not the teacher. It turned out so beautifully! I had a video of her in front of a tree made from boxes painted brown. All the children were a forest animal and had a speaking line about their characteristics. She did so GREAT! I can't get the video loaded, so the pic will have to do for now.


One of three of PG's art pieces.

We have a coffee bar at church and our director opened it up to the parents strolling "The Gallery" for free frappuccinos which meant the teachers (I teach in the other 4 yr. old class) got them, too! I will never pass up one of these for freeeeeeee!!!! ; )

Two Peas

Texas Blues

As is tradition in our great state every March/April, we took Bluebonnet pictures! These gorgeous babies line the highways en masse for a few weeks in the spring as our state flower. It was about 4:30 in the afternoon yesterday when I realized that the overcast sky would make great pictures so I did the unthinkable as time was of the essence: I completely and totally without a second thought BRIBED PandaGirl with a chocolate ice cream bar to go take the pics without even ONE gripe! It worked and we all ended up happy with the final outcome...sweet pics and yummy in the tummy.

"They Soak Up Stuff Like Sponges"...yeah, right.

Here's the deal. My precious PandaGirl whom you all have come to know as cute, adorable, witty and all around a great kid also has a side that I haven't shared much about. I mean, come on...it wasn't something to brag about so I chose to not post those things. However, I thought of this contrast yesterday and it fits so perfectly to my darling little one's desire to learn things on NO-one's terms but her own. The saying goes that "children soak up knowledge like sponges". Well, THAT is not one size fits all. My sweet pea is more like a...



It's true. She basically doesn't want to take in anything I try to teach her. Now, I can't say EVERYthing, but for the most part it is a struggle to get her to "get it"! Not because she isn't smart...that little toot just doesn't want to be told to do it. Duh. I so wonder if God gave her to me so that I would listen to Him more. Not buck him on things. Sheesh! What a lesson for me.

I have come up with the bare basics to get her to do things I want her to do. EVERY SINGLE TIME she pushes her lip out, furrows her brow, folds her arms, slings her arms, huffs & puffs, etc...I calmly make her stop, do the thing over again and again and again until she can accomplish whatever task asked of her with joy instead of dread or loathing. Whew. This morning we started a routine of making her bed after going to the potty. You'd have thought I asked her to eat liver and onions while sitting in the middle of a snake farm. The drama started and I oh so very calmly, had her go through each step without even one sigh or ugly toss of the arm until the bed was made. She was whining that she "didn't know how" all the while I am saying, "That's why I'm TEACHING you." My carnal side wanted to say, "DUH!", but the good mommy (ONLY by the grace of God!!!) gently let her know that we would do this together and it would be a good thing that she learned.

Breaking headline news....The little girl in Texas learned to make her bed and was actually happy about it! She is now so happy and showing so much love to her family because she now feels accomplished and has a boundary. Back with more news later.

Gotcha Day Update...

Woohooo! Celebrating FOUR years of PandaGirl's "Gotcha Day"! Four years ago on February 2, 2004 we first got PandaGirl in our arms. Fun to celebrate via cyber space with all the families with whom we traveled. I love that the girls are all connected by that day and that they are from the same orphanage. We had a blast going to pick out charms for PG's bracelet. We do that every Gotcha Day and then we headed to Chuck E. Cheese. Not my fav but she adored it and had a blast!

PG and I looking at all the charms from which to choose for her bracelet. She chose a castle and a horse. Perfect!


No celebration is complete without a little ICE CREAM!

Two of PandaGirl's Chinese friends from church. We are sooo blessed to have them since we don't get to see our old playgroup much anymore. They are celebrating Chinese New Year which starts Feb. 7th!


We are headed out on our mission trip to Guatemala this Saturday, but first have a preteen retreat on Friday night and Sat. I am asking for prayers for our health and safety. Can't wait to fill you in on all the amazing things GOD does on this trip! Be a blessing today! ; )

Joy Jar

I was so excited to find this great idea last week on someone else's blog. I don't know if the blogger came up with it on their own or if they found it somewhere, but I loved it for our home. It's called the Joy Jar and it is filled with fun things to do together with PandaGirl. For us what seemed to work is having 10 activities over the course of one month which PG gets to draw out of the jar and we do right then or that day. The next month we put all the cards back in and start over. I had to think through about how often to let her draw so that I wouldn't let her draw a card and then say something like, "No, not right now." The whole point is to make it fun and "spontaneous" for her! Here are the 10 activies:

1. Paint fingernails and toenails
2. Bake something yummy
3. Play hide & seek
4. Read 3 books
5. Play card or board games
6. Color with markers or crayons
7. Play in her room together
8. Paint with paintbrushes
9. & 10. Believe it or not, I can't think of the last two and I don't have the list with me....BUMMER!

Anyhoo, you get the picture and your list would be different anyway. I just got the vase from the garage, wrote on index cards cut in half, hole-punched and tied with a curling ribbon. I also put a Scripture on a card from the Bible that reminds us to be full of Joy because of what the Lord has done for us. PandaGirl was SOOOOO excited about this. I have to admit that I am just as giddy wondering what fun thing will come out of the jar to do together. We already pulled out the "paint" together one and had a blast! Maybe this is something you'd enjoy with your kiddos, too.

Howdy Y'all! PG's 5th B-day!

PandaGirl has loved HORSES since she was little bitty and since we've already had a Winnie the Pooh party, a Miss Patty-Cake party and the Princess party it only seemed right to have a HORSE party! This was so fun to decorate for especially being from Texas. If you aren't a Texan then you probably have no idea how we think. We are a bit fanatical about our Lone Star State. We proudly wave our red, white and blue flag with it's beautiful white star. Hence, the reason for those colors for the party. It's a given. I have no idea what ANY other state's flag even looks like, but here in TEXAS it's just a part of everyday life as is the whole western look. No, we don't all dress like cowboys but there is a claim to all things "cowboy".

PandaGirl had a blast at her party. We had a FREE bounce house which was a huge hit. Then we had lunch, cake, presents, a bit more jumping in the bounce house and WHAM!...it was over. It seemed like all the kids had fun and the grown-ups got a kick out of all the kids having fun. We even got to see TWO of our wonderful old playgroup families! HUGE blessing to us! Thanks guys!!

I have such a blast decorating for a party!!! These red ropers were mine when I was sixteen and totally into George Strait! LOL!


PandaFamily enjoying the day!

I am in love with this ever-so-cute blue speckled bean pot full of Ranch Style Beans (made right here in Texas!). These went along with BBQ brisket sandwiches, little smokies, cheese noodles (PG's favorite!), chips, pickles, onions, sweet tea, lemonade, followed by chocolate horseshoe cake (that I made this morning!) and vanilla ice cream. YUM! Very cowgirl-ish. ; )

The present opening happened so fast and furious with all of PG's friends "helping" her that I missed any great shots of this moment. Pooh.

PandaPop and I had fun buying this awesome horse and carriage for PG's new Barbie dolls and best of all her new MULAN doll PP got off of ebay!!! She is so in love with Mulan now so this was the BEST!

The kiddos went home with a small horse figurine, a red bandanna and this cute little bag full of yummy Trail Mix...good for any cowboy on the trail!

How sad for you if you don't live in or near Texas and have no idea what Blue Bell Ice Cream is. It is made in south Texas and is the best. The kids had cute little individual ones while the grown ups dug into the half gallon for the floats in the next pics.

I'm aware that normally I should have Dr. Pepper to go along with brisket and all the trimmings, but we opted to have A&W Root Beer to make Floats!

Sippin' on a little bit of root-beer float!!!

Grandma and PawPaw came to visit.

So much fun and excitement made this little cowgirl pooped!