Hair in the Bread

Wednesday oh that was so long ago, why did I get so far behind?! I keep promising myself I won't do that again. A lot of good I'm doing for myself. What should I do to myself to remember....schedule times..? Already do that... *sigh* Well I can at least catch up now and promise myself again that I won't get behind. Someday I'll get this right. This is a very long pep talk. Well now y'all get to keep me accountable, since I just shared my- what's the word for -oh yeah, I shared my self-lecture with you.What day were we going to write about? 

*Checks first word* 

Wednesday was one of those days that took a lot of strategic planning of who was going to take who where and when was the other being picked up and by whom and who had to be where when and who was with the littles at different points in time and in general we were everywhere but everyone made it back to home-base after the game of a-crazy-day-in-the-life ended. Are you out of breath yet? I am. *Smile* 

The first someone who was taken somewhere by someone else was Chloe. She took the PSAT at the Ponder High School starting at 8:00 am and ending at noon. Mom dropped her off and faithful Grandfather picked her up. 

Meanwhile, Ava and I went with Nana to the Bible Study she leads so that we could provide the childcare. (We did this the week before we left for Maui, for those of you who didn't remember that, probably you all did remember though...anyways...) This time we had two little girls and two babies, which was very easy and so much fun. 

At home Christian did school and Mia and Gabe worked on chores. Dad left for a meeting at 10:30 am and Mom got ready to go. As soon as Chloe got home Mom was able to take off for an appointment and soon after Ava and I returned. 

We had about 10 minutes before our friends arrived early for a play practice. (I was actually still trying to eat when they arrived. Kicking them out of the house so I could finish didn't work.) 

Since we had not seen them in almost 2 months there was a lot of noise more than usual. Everyone talked a lot and I finished eating. 

Before Mom took off she asked me to cook the turkey for dinner. I have never cooked a turkey. In fact, I have cooked very little meat ever (I can cook though, I can cook lots and lots of things, but usually they don't involve meat or Mom has already cooked it ahead of time). So I asked Abigail and Rebekah if they could help me thinking surely they had cooked a turkey before. They had not. So they texted with their Mom throughout the entire ordeal. Thank goodness the poor turkey was already dead. 

Between the three of us, and Chloe and Ava giving advice from the sidelines, we got that turkey cleaned out and stuffed with onions and into the roasting pan. Then we dragged Noah into the kitchen to lift it into the oven. 

Finally we were able to get organized and start our play practice, which is the reason they came over in the first place. 

We had lost a little ground having not been together for so long, but it really did go well and we hope to be ready to preform sometime between Thanksgiving and Christmas. 

Climbing the cliff. 

Little girl and Gramma

Prince and Rugen

The critic

This needs no caption 

"If you wish her dead, come closer." 

We saved time after the practice to talk and play "Signs" for a few minutes. There was also a failed attempt to play piano and guitar together and of course the second we turned loud music on Mom walked through the door. *Wink, wink* And Dad was soon to follow.

After they left we had some down time, all of us back home. Then, because Mom's appointment had gone so well, they decided we should go out for dinner! So we didn't need the turkey in the first place... *Sigh* 

The turkey survived!!

(And that would be Christian's hand.) 

Nana, Grandfather, and Aunt Cendei all ended up coming to Babe's with us and we had a wonderful dinner, during which a man came up behind Chloe and me to thank us for having long hair and Grandfather was sung to by a young woman. 

Thursday morning by the time us big kids got downstairs, Mom and the littles had already met Aunt Cendei at the school track to run/walk and gone all the way to Denton to get Starbucks. I only slightly regretted sleeping until 7:00 am. 

In the afternoon Grandfather took us three older ones to Speech and Debate while the others got to enjoy the day at home. We have been asked to come early for the rest of the year to help the director and her family set up the rooms. We arrived first and after 10 minutes started wondering if we were the only ones who had missed the fact that it was fall break or something. Turned out everyone else was just late. Way to freak us out though. (We have to drive almost an hour to get there so...) 

Club went really well! Chloe and I were able to preform our duo several times and get very helpful feedback on it. 

After a quick dinner Chloe and Christian found out they would be debating for the first time. They did not know this beforehand, nor did they have a case, nor were they very excited. The other team gave them their negative case so that Chloe and Christian could use it. This mean't the other team already knew what they would be against and Chloe and Christian did not have time before the debate to look it over. All in all, they did alright! Considering all the factors, that is... 

Friday morning I met a friend for coffee and then came home to work on school. Everyone else had a normal home day as far as I can remember. 

Saturday Chloe, Ava, and I went next door 5 miles away to help Aunt Cendei prepare for the welcome banquet after church. (We were welcomed our new preaching elder.) 

She sent us to the field (on a golf cart which Chloe almost killed us on) to get weeds flowers for the table center pieces. When we returned we put them together and then tied together crayons for the kids to use on the butcher's paper to color. Actually, Aunt Cendei said it was for kids and blondes. 

Next we all worked on wrapping up the cutlery sets. We took out all the napkins that I unknowingly bleed on. Finally we started working to prepare the food. 

Back at home the boys and Dad were finishing mowing and then the process of getting everyone a turn in the shower and preparing for church began. 

Mom, Christian, and Ava left early with Aunt Cendei to help get the church set up and the rest of us left a little later to hit Sprouts before joining them. 

Mia asked for a wedding hairstyle. 

The church service was so so so good. I could have kept singing all night and everyone's favorite part was when the one musician, our worship leader playing the guitar, had to pause mid-song to adjust his music sheet. Our church wants to get as far away as possible from the "show" and focus on what is real. And having to fix your music sheet is definitely not something to be embarrassed about. 

So many friends and family of the new elder came to support him that there were more non-members there than members! We were a little considered that we would run out of food, but we didn't! 

After the meal we stayed to help put all the chairs and tables up, clean the floor, put away food, etc. 

Sunday morning Mom and Dad left to make a few stops and get brunch at Seven Mile Cafe. About 12:30 I drove the rest of us, except for Chloe, to meet them at the Denton movie theater. Chloe, meanwhile, went to ride the neighbor's horses. 

Aunt Lauren and Uncle Phil also met us to see "Woodlawn." The movie was very well done. 

After it ended we all headed back to our house to have breakfast for dinner. Chloe and I worked on the pancakes and such while the others played outside. No one choked at dinner. 

Aunt Lauren and Uncle Phil left and we went on a short family walk. I feel like evening walks are often so romanticized. This is what our walk looked like...

Two footballs flying back and forth on the street.

One child asking the most random questions the entire time.

A neighbor child bringing his cat over to show us.

One child staying behind with the neighbor.

Getting dirt in our shoes from walking on a new house site.

A dog running up to us and jumping on all of us.

Two other dogs barking at us the entire time. 

One child dancing all over the street. 

A gorgeous sunset. 

And returning home after walking about a quarter of a mile. 

Back at home we got ready for bed and met back in the living room to watch a "Waltons." 

Monday was a very typical, boring, school, work, and chores day. I also went to babysit for small group. There may or may not have been any dinner left over for me when I got back... 

That Moment When...

Your sibling pulls a piece of hair out of the bread you cooked to go with dinner. 

The Herd: Quoted 

"The kids wanted to know why it took Dad and I so long to get home, so I asked them if they wanted the truth or a funny story. Gabe wanted the truth so I said I'd tell both and they could guess. Either we pulled over to make out or we were pulled over by a policeman. Chloe and Christian both thought we'd pulled over to make out. We were pulled over." -Mom

"There is a piece of hair on the side of the turkey pan." -Mom

"Are you kidding me?!" -Me

"Nope!" -Mom

"Well there were four of us girls with long hair working on this turkey... And Noah who we got to put it in the oven had blonde hair." -Me

"Yes, but this is definitely a very long very blonde piece of hair." -Mom

"I didn't realize the guys checking me out in Maui was such a big deal, it happens all the time here. But I can't flash then hang-loose here in Texas because that means 'call me' to people who live here." -Me

"I wanted to grow my hair out some because I thought it would get curly again if I did, so when the curls started coming back I was like 'oh yeah baby!'" -Gabe 

"First things first, I agree there is a problem with *pauses* the issue being questioned tonight..." -Christian starting out his first debate speech

"The other team is saying that things in China are not progressing fast enough. But they are progressing, just not quickly enough to satisfy these guys. So obviously my opponents have patience issues..." -Christian joking while debating 

"Where are you going?" -Gabe 

"To have coffee with Brittany." -Me

"Me too." -Mia very matter a fact 

*Everyone laughs*

*She comes over, crawls in my lap, and looks at me smiling*

"You're so pretty..." -Mia 

"Thank you, but that's not going to get you to coffee with Brittany." -Me