Aubrey got a good report!

I got the nicest note in Aubrey's backpack saying "Aubrey was a good worker during workboard stations today!" yesterday. I was very excited and gave Aubrey a high five. Considering, she got in trouble earlier for trying to climb trees on the playground and had to be the 'Principal's helper'. Guess that means she walked around with the principal to 'help' them instead of playing on the playground. She came home from school that day and said "Mom, I got to be the Principal's helper today!" Hmmm...it sounded suspicious and I probed further and then found out that she got into trouble. Oh well, I will take the good and the bad-as long as she grows out of it!
Laurie went last weekend with her Girl Scout troop to two different events. They went Friday to A&M's observatory and looked at the stars. They earned their Star Searcher patch. I think she liked it. Saturday they went to Camp TexLake and spent the night in cabins. They had a fashion show and watched a movie outdoors. The troop leader said that the girls need to practice sweeping and mopping at home. =-) Hmmm, I can handle making Laurie do that! She is really having a great year this year in Girl Scouts. Oh, by the way, anyone want to buy some Fall Product? Sale ends today! (I'm only kidding, but remember who to get the cookies from!)

Update on the girls

I think I need to start focusing my worries on the youngest. Tuesday morning we had to go have a chat with Aubrey's teacher. Aubrey had to confess her wrong doings. Apparently, she did not learn from her hair cut issues from last year. Aubrey decided to cut her bangs-give them a good layering. I was fixing Laurie's hair, and Aubrey wanted me to 'fix' her hair with the curling iron. Granted, nothing stays in her hair, but she likes me to fix the back and her bangs in the morning. So, I was 'curling' her bangs when I noticed that they were layered. Hmph...so I asked my darling what happened. She tried to tell me that someone cut them at school. When I asked who so we could tell her teacher, she confessed that she did it. (This one will break under pressure right now...maybe not later, but...) We went in and I had Aubrey tell her teacher that she had cut her own hair in class the day before. Aubrey also had her kitty taken away for 5 days. (I know...mean mommy!) Then that night when we were leaving Pappy's house, she pulled some of the berries off the bush. Now this is something Mimi fusses at her for every time there are berries on the bush...I'm guessing it is going to take her several times to learn not to do something. BUT there is hope-she tells Jason "No booty for you!" when he runs after her playfully smacking her bottom. Hopefully-this will stick until after she is married! =-)
Laurie went on a Girl Scout overnighter at the San Antonio Zoo. No...they didn't put her in the monkey cage or the lion's den. I was thoroughly disappointed with that, but she got to dissect an owl's pellet and found rodent parts-which she brought home. Great... Laurie was very excited to tell me all about her trip to the zoo and all the animals she got to see. She was able to be a part of the bird show, and a bird went on her arm and on her head. I can't wait to get the pictures from the trip! I will post them when I get them.
The girls are also very interested in boobs...there is no other way to say it. Saturday before she left, Laurie came in and said-"look mom, you can see my boobie!" I had to tell her it wasn't a boobie yet-just breast buds. Just because you are not longer completely flat, does not mean you have boobies! And don't be in a hurry to get them! So, Aubrey, of course, had to have her say about the whole thing...she grabbed my freshly laundered bra and tried to put it on. Then told me that I needed to practice so I could help her with one when she needed one. Geez...can't I stop this whole development thing? I know my doctor said no, but isn't there something out there that will stop this so they don't grow up too fast? I'm off to seek the answers on the Internet! I'll let you know if I find anything...desperately seeking-Mary Alice

New Hair Cut

I will never be able to do this to my hair again, so I thought I would share. I don't know what it is about my hairdress, but she can create a very cute hair style that I can never do again at home. Oh well... I even put make-up on!

Bad Mom and Best Birthday present!

Saturday was my birthday. It's nice to be 29...LOL!
Anyways, I was a bad mommy. I forgot until 10:45 that the girls were supposed to be at their gymnastic lessons at 10:30. OOPS! Of course, it was Laurie's class that we were late to and she was very upset. The alligator tears were there, but she saw how upset I was for messing up. So I think I was forgiven, but I still felt bad most of the morning. Jason said Laurie did get to play on the tree house playscape while Aubrey was in class and had a good time. Hopefully, next weekend I'll remember on time. So much for writing it on the calendar...helps to look at the calendar!
They wanted to buy/make me something for my birthday. So, they cleaned out from under their beds and got rid of the rabid dust bunnies. I swear Laurie had them trained to attack anyone but her. The last time I went under there looking for shoes...my hand almost got taken off! Can I tell you that it was the best birthday present EVER!! Their floors in their rooms are so clean-I just can't look in the closets. That's where they shoved everything. Their daddy helped...can you tell? But, I'm just so excited about my present! Some of the best presents are just not the expensive kind.

Shield Parade

At the girls' school they make their family shield and have a parade at the beginning of the year. I try to let the girls do it themselves. Hopefully, preventing the need to have mom 'help' with any other projects later on. Here's their shields:

They were due on Wednesday, and on Friday they had their shield parade. This is where the whole school shows off their shield by doing a parade outside of the school. Jason was able to go and take pictures of them for me. I think he was glad he got to go. =-)

Jason stated he knew now why he was never an elementary school teacher. He said he just didn't have the patience to deal with crying children who just need to be told to 'suck it up and deal with it-the world is not just about you'. Guess he never realized most of us all feel that way, we just have a more tactful way of getting our point across without offending anyone.

Sunday Lunch-with MY family

So, Sunday, September 7th we had lunch at my mom's house in Georgetown. Almost everyone that lives in town was there. Mom (aka Grammy), Aunt Carolyn and Uncle Tommy, Thomas and Janis (Faith was not there), Kim and Jessica-home from college (Mike doesn't love us, so he didn't come. ;-), Jason, the girls, and I. Mom made chicken enchiladas, Kim brought the salad, Carolyn brought beans, Thomas brought rice and I brought the dessert. The whole point of this blog...that dang dessert! GRRRRRR...
So, I absolutely LOVE this 'Sherbet Surprise' dessert that my mother-in-law makes and thought it was a nice finish to a Mexican food meal. You basically mix sherbet and vanilla ice cream and put it on a cracker crust. Then you top it with this yummy glaze. And that should be called 'Frustrating glaze'...granted, I would like to use another 'F' word to describe it, but I will be polite.
I ended up making it twice. The first time it ended up looking like egg drop lemon soup. I even tried to strain the glaze-but I didn't have a mess strainer. I used a small grater attachment from my Pampered Chef cheese grater to try and strain it. THAT DOESN'T work, put the mess strainer on my Christmas list. After straining it...it still looked like egg drop soup. I threw it away and went to bed. (Anyone sense my frustration?) So, after church...lots of prayers going on to make the topping turn out right during service, I attempted it again. It still looked a little like egg drop, but I called mom and she had the strainer. Off we went to Georgetown to the strainer, and it ended up turning out just fine...frustration and all. Jason said he couldn't tell a difference between mine and his mom's, so I might try making it again.
Here's the recipe of doom...(in case anyone wants to show me up and not make egg drop topping)

Sherbet Delight

Crust:
1 1/2 cups crushed Ritz Crackers ( one stack ) I use a little more because I love the crust!
4 Tablespoons sugar
1 stick butter, melted

Filling:
1 qt. lime sherbet, softened slightly
1 qt. vanilla ice cream, softened slightly

Topping:
6 Tablespoons butter
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice ( I use almost twice this much - suit your own taste )
2 eggs well beaten

Mix crackers, sugar, butter. Press into 9x12 pan. Quickly mix sherbet and ice cream in a large bowl and blend well. Spoon onto top of crust and smooth. Put into freezer while you make topping.

Cook together topping ingredients over medium heat until thick, stirring CONSTANTLY. Cool mixture and spread evenly over top of ice cream/sherbet mixture. Freeze overnight. Cut into squares. May top each piece with a strawberry.

No where in the recipe from Diane did it say to not melt the butter first-because the pan would be hot and make egg strings OR start slowly and bring to a boil. So, be wary...and learn from my mistakes!

Lunch at Jason's parents

Can I just say how glad I am that Jim (Jason's dad) had a birthday? We had our pig-out on August 31st. We had pulled pork, ribs, speedies, corn casserole, coleslaw, green beans, potato casserole...oh my, for dinner and then we had blueberry pie and chocolate cake for dessert. Hmmmm, life is always good when Jim cooks.

Before we ate, Jan and I took the girls to San Gabriel park to feed the ducks. It took a little convincing that they would have a good time with mom at the park, but they did. Apparently, I need to get a loaf of bread for each child-those ducks were HUNGRY! There was one with a 'pom-pom on his head. The girls thought that was funny!

The girls and I also spent a little time in the hammock. It was good cuddling time!