Kids in the spotlight--Tater

It's been quite a while since I updated the blog. Have no fear, we have been living our usual life of excitement and funny kid moments. Funny kid of the month is Taylor!

First of all, this kiddo is bright. She is not the typical 'overachiever' child of a teacher. She's more along the lines of the 'this kid drives me crazy because she knows the material, knows she does, and really couldn't care less about proving she knows it' child of a teacher.  For example, one year in school, Taylor's teacher contacted me to make sure I was aware that she had earned a grand total of ZERO reading points for the six weeks.  Typically that wouldn't be such a concern. However, Taylor had been reading all six of the weeks.  I picked her up from school and casually inquired about her lack of  points. It went something like this...

Me: Tater-nater, how was school today?

T: Good. Moma-nater, how was work today? 

Me:  Pretty good, but I got an email from Mrs. ABC. Do you have any idea what it said?

T:  No m'am, she didn't show it to me first. 

Me:  Well, how many AR points do you have?

T:  Right now?

Me:  Yes, right now. 

T: Right now, um, I don't have any AR points right now. 

Me: So, in six weeks you haven't ready any books?

T: Yes, I HAVE read about 4 chapter books. 

Me:  Well, why don't you have any points?

T: Because I haven't taken any tests. 

Me:  You do know why there are tests, right?

T:  Um, not really?

Me:  The tests are to make sure you read and understood the book. 

T: Mom, you know I read XYZ because I told you about ...  And, Mrs. ABC knows I read too because I told her about...  

Me: Taylor, I don't doubt that you are reading the books. But you MUST follow the rules and take the tests too. 

T:  Ok, but everyone knows that I can read!

That night, Taylor had to skip gymnastics. By the end of the next day, she had twice as many points as her goal for the six weeks.  If you've been around Taylor for even five minutes, you know that gymnastics is her passion.  If I had a dollar for every time I've told her to "stop flipping and flopping in the house" she would have a fully funded college fund.


Taylor is quick witted and a lot of fun.  She is also our most affectionate child.  She kisses everyone (when her sisters tolerate it) good night each night on her way to bed.  She also kisses my head and says, "I love you, Momma" each day as she gets out of the car at school.  Although much of her personality reminds me of myself...you know...patient, kind, calm....  Okay, the truth is that Taylor is Chad Dickerson through and through.  She is patient,kind, affectionate, and genuine.  This picture with Chip is the real Taylor Dickerson--big smile, open arms!

Taylor is very literal.  She received a ping pong paddle as a reward at school.  When I asked her about the rewards and prizes she said, "Mom, they gave us a ping pong paddle.  That's just another paddle at our house!"  Honestly, yes, we do have a ping pong paddle in the car.  However, I can't even remember the last time Taylor felt the love on her bottom.  You can read about her other literal interpretations while in Washington D.C. here.

Taylor doesn't get stressed out about school.  She does well in her classes, but perfection is not her goal.  Sometimes I get irritated because it seems that she doesn't care.  However, I'm learning to accept that for Taylor, life is about enjoying the moment and living loud.  English teachers around the world may cringe with her definition of "fragments" but ultimately, the fragments of her short life are the things that make the Dickerson story better each day.

Sex Ed and Humor with the Dickerson Girls

As a former biology teacher, I've never really struggled with talking about or teaching sexual reproduction.  Kennedy and Taylor were born so close together that Kennedy didn't really ask questions other than "when will the baby come out" the entire time I was pregnant.  When I was expecting Blake, Kennedy didn't really ask a lot of questions, but one day she informed me that she knew "where the baby was going to come out".  Surprised, I asked where and how she knew.  I don't recall all the details, but ultimately, she knew and had good reasons.

Finally, Blake was born the week after Easter 2010.  Days before Blake was born, Kennedy began asking questions about why Jesus was a miracle.  In good parenting fashion, I told my 7 year old that it was because Mary and Joseph were not married, and that typically babies are born to moms and dads who are married.  She bought it without further question.  We had a healthy baby.  Kennedy knew the "secret" about how Blake came into the world without a scar on my abdomen.

Skip forward another year to summer 2011.  I shared with Kennedy that a family friend was expecting a baby.  She immediately asked when the young girl got married.  I explained that she was not married.  Her brain quickly recalled our former conversation and she asked, "So it might be another baby Jesus?"  Ummmm...not exactly.  So, at a young 8 years old, we had "the conversation" about sexual reproduction.  She took it all in and wrapped it up with "So, you and Daddy had sex to get Blake?"  I smiled and said, "yes".  She said, "So, you and Daddy had sex to get Taylor?"  I smiled again and said, "yes".  She took a deep breath and said, "So...(insert long pause)" and I said, "and, we had sex to get YOU".  She just shook her head.  It was an intense moment, but ultimately, I was glad to begin such an important conversation.

Skip forward three more years to today.  Here we are at Easter four years after Blake's birth.  Taylor is now 8.  We've not really been close to any women expecting children in years.  Taylor hasn't really asked questions other than this doozy in the car last fall.  Honestly, I've just not thought to take the time to open that can of worms.  Within the last week, we've had the "when little girls become young women" conversation.  Today, on the way to school Taylor made a comment about our cat "getting pregnant until she has kittens".  I explained that our cat, Knick Knack is already pregnant.  I didn't get into the details, but told her that girls are either pregnant or not.  There really isn't a process like she was thinking.  She accepted that fact without further question.

Tonight, Chad sent Taylor out to feed the cats (Knick Knack the female and Squeakers the male).  Taylor was outside for a few minutes, and I could hear her calling Squeakers.  Finally she came in and plopped down at the table beside me and asked, "So, will Knick Knack still have the babies if the male ran off?"

Obviously, Chad and I have more explaining to do in terms of sexual reproduction.  But honestly, how different would the world be if the female only had a baby as long as the male stayed by her side?

Even the Security Guard Giggles Sometimes

Today we went to the National Archives. It is amazing to me that they have the actual documents so I can truly see the Declaration of Independence, Constitution of the United States, and the Bill of Rights.  As we were viewing the documents, I was quizzing the girls on the facts. Imagine this conversation in the rotunda under the supervision of armed security guards. 

Me: Taylor, do you see all the states listed at the bottom of the Constitution?

Taylor: (pointing) right here?

Me: Yes. Do you see Texas?

Taylor: No. 

Me:  Why not?

Taylor:  Because I can't read cursive yet.

Even the super-professional security guard giggled. 

In her defense, when we told her what we were going to see, she knew about the 13 colonies. Apparently I framed the question all wrong for my literal child. 

This trip has been full of learning and sprinkled with priceless conversation. More to come. I've been taking notes! 

Tough Questions from Girls

Today has been full of the most amazing conversations with my girls.  I'll get right to the point...

On the way home from school...

Kennedy:  Well, I think I'm going to break up with Mr.XYZ.
Me:  Really.  Why?
Kennedy:  Well, you know we used to be able to just talk about stuff and I could just say what I thought.  Now I kind of feel like I have to be careful because I wonder what he's going to think.  You know?  I don't want to make him mad.
Me:  Uh huh. (As I cringe because she cares what a boy thinks)  So you're worried about what he thinks about what you think?
Kennedy: Really, he said something today that I just knew was wrong.  You know when you hear someone say something that you KNOW is wrong, but you don't want to say anything because you don't want them to get mad at you?
Me:  Ohhh.  What did he say that you knew was wrong? (as I'm imagining something really philosophical and important that has me quite curious because this Mr.XYZ is a great kid from a great family that has values and beliefs very similar to ours)
Kennedy:  I heard him saying that Wylie is in the middle of town and that Middle School and High School are way out of the way.  Mom, you know that Wylie IS NOT in the middle of town.
Me:  I agree Wylie is on the edge of town, not in the middle, but do you really think that is worth breaking up about?
Kennedy:  Well, this is not the first time we've had this problem.
Me:  Really?
Kennedy:  Well, not about that exact conversation, but sometimes he says things, and I know he is wrong.  Before he was my boyfriend I would just tell him he's wrong, but now it just makes it too weird.  I think it was just easier before boyfriends.  You know, when we were all just friends and just told each other what we think?
Me:  Life is definitely easier before boyfriends.  I agree that you should take life easy in fifth grade.  But, maybe you could also consider that it's okay for your boyfriend to know what you really think?
Kennedy:  I still think I'm going to break up with him when I finally get the chance to talk to him again.
Me:  Well, you do what you think is best, but remember that he was your friend first and a real friend is nice and says things for herself, not through other kids.

We stop at the pound and see a mom dog with 5 tiny (born today) puppies.  We head on home and do homework, etc.  About an hour and a half later, we leave to take Kennedy to softball practice.

Taylor: Mom, you have to have a bull and a girl cow to make baby cows, right?
Me: Yes.
Taylor:  Mom, so if you don't have a bull and a girl cow then you won't get any calves?
Me:  That's right, Taylor
Taylor:  So, a boy bull and a girl cow can have a baby cow.
Me:  Yes, Taylor.  A boy bull can get a girl cow pregnant so that she can have a baby calf.
Taylor:  How exactly does that work, anyway?
Me:  I'll tell you exactly how that works, but not today in the car on the way to softball practice.
Taylor:  Oh.

So, I call Chad who was supposed to pick Kennedy up from softball practice on his way home from work.  I conveniently offer to meet him to let him take Taylor and Blake home while I wait for Kennedy at softball practice.  It wasn't really avoidance, but I'll admit after I had the plan I was kind of hoping that on the way home Taylor just might say, "Dad, how exactly does that work, anyway?"

On the way home from softball practice, Kennedy surprises me with some questions of her own.

Kennedy:  Mom, will you teach me how to drive?
Me:  No.  That's Daddy's deal.
Kennedy:  What do you mean?
Me:  I do bottles, diapers, and homework, but driving is Daddy's deal.
Kennedy:  So you just do bottles, diapers, and homework?
Me:  Well, I'll even do pads and tampons, but driving is Daddy's deal.
Kennedy:  You do boyfriends too.
Me:  Yes, I'll do boyfriends but driving is Daddy's deal.
Kennedy:  So, you're saying you'll do tampons and even boyfriends but you won't do driving?
Me:  Exactly (stated with great authority as I realized how ridiculous it must sound)

It's been an exhilarating, exhausting day as "Mom". 

Things I hear in the car...

After getting into the hot car and having to wait about 90 seconds for me to get in and turn on the air conditioner, Taylor said, 'Man! It's so hot I think I'm going to faint!'

Naturally, BADkid had to repeat what she heard and said, 'Momma, I donna paint!'

Taylor corrected her with 'FAINT, Ffff, not Ppp'.

BADkid says, 'I donna faint!'

Thinking it was funny, I asked, 'Blake, do you even know what faint means?'

In typical 'I know she's not asking me but I'm the bigger sister and I know everything' fashion, Taylor says with attitude, 'It's when you fall down and don't wake back up!'

Kennedy very seriously says, 'Umm, no, that's dead!'

Thursday was F-U-N-N-Y

Thursday afternoon was one funny comment after another on the way to gymnastics.

Taylor was telling me that they wrote poetry at school that day. She said, 'We wrote our name and then made a poem about ourselves with the letters. Here's mine. T is for thankful. A is for awesome. Y is for young. L is for lazy. O is for I forgot what o was for. R is for remembers.'

I said, 'R is for remembers but you forgot O?'

She smiled and said, 'But aren't you glad I was honest and said L is for lazy cause I am!'

Kennedy asked, 'Mom, do you know any Muslims?'

I said, 'Yes, do you?' She had to inquire about who I knew but went on to say there was a young Muslim girl in her G/T class who didn't go to lunch that day because 'she was vasting.'

Yes, she clarified it for me V-A-S-T-I-N-G and that means you don't eat or drink from sun up to sun down because your dad said it's a vasting day.

Dose of Dickerson Dashcam

It has been almost two months since the last update on Bob and the Girls.  Well, honestly, my phone has changed my world.  At one time, I had to actually get on the computer to check my email, check facebook, pay bills, etc.  Now, I can do all of those things on my phone.  However, blogspot and iphone don't seem to work so well together.  I know, I can go to the Internet and do anything, but I was really hoping for some awesome app to make updates simple.  Anyone looking to get rich?  Create one for me.  I'll pay up to about $4.99. 

Here's what we've been doing since the Dash update...

• Vickey and her kids visited from Arkansas
• Kennedy and Taylor had their first trip to Six Flags
• Chad and I enjoyed the Fifth installment of Dickerson, Henry, Lee @ the BEACH
• Kennedy loved Pine Cove this year instead of just survived
• Taylor experienced her first week of summer camp at Pine Cove
• Blake FINALLY got over molluscum after buckets of tears (this deserves and entire post)
• Six month anniversary of my Uncle Jimmy missing
• First day of school for 4th grade, 2nd grade, and 2 year old class
• We bought the last package of diapers for the Dickerson house (and I'm a little sad)
• Kennedy started soccer
• Taylor had a birthday (7 years old)
• I had a birthday (older than 7 years old)
• Mimi and Pops celebrated 36 years of marriage...and moved into the new house
• Chad let the biggest catfish I've ever seen in person get away
• Taylor found a snake "in the house" but it was actually against the threshold trying to get in the house

Since we're old friends, we can just pick right back up like it hasn't been months since we've visited.  So, last week on facebook I commented that if I had a dashcam, our lives could be a reality show.  I'll never install a dashcam, but here's a peak...

Kennedy and Taylor were asking about Dash having puppies.

Kennedy (K): How old does Dash have to be before she has puppies?
Shannon (S):  Dash isn't going to have puppies.
Taylor (T):  Why not?
S: Because we are going to take her to the vet in another month and have her spayed, which is a surgery so that she can't have puppies.
T: What if she is already pregnant?
S:  She isn't.  It takes a boy dog and a girl dog to make puppies.  And she hasn't been around any boy dogs.
K: (Apparently making the connection to our prior conversations regarding reproduction) Taylor, you're too little to understand, but when you get a LOT older Mom will tell you about it too.
T:  OK, but why can't Dash just have puppies ONE time?

The conversation continues on about taking care of puppies and the complications with small dogs giving birth, etc.  We also addressed the fact that you have to be able to find homes for puppies.  And then...

K: If we can't find homes, then we just take them to the animal shelter.
S:  Well, they are just going to kill them.  Why would you want to do that?
K: WHAT?
S:  It takes money to feed, water, and care for animals.  The animal shelter here is a temporary home, but if no one adopts the animals, they eventually kill them because they can't afford to care for them.
K:  So, why exactly do they call it an animal shelter?
S:  Well, umm, hmm...ask Pa!

I've trained my kids to spot Corvettes on the road.  On a recent trip to Tyler, we saw a pretty one.  Just hours before, I was trying to calm Kennedy's anxiousness about being tardy for school by saying that I would eat a worm if she was late. 

T: Momma!  There's a Corvette!
K:  Momma, would you eat 3 worms for a Corvette?
S:  I would eat 3 bowls of worms for a Corvette.
K: Eww.  What would you really do for a Corvette?
S:  I would do a lot of things.  I would give up one of my daughters for a Corvette.
K:  Momma!  No you would not!
S:  (jokingly) Well, it depends on how pretty it is.
T:  (Raising her hand and bouncing in the back seat) I'm the ugly one!
After explaining that I was joking about how pretty the car had to be, Taylor changed her mind and said, "Oh, well, I'm not really the ugly one."

Life in a Small Town

What have the Dickerson girls been up to?  Well, they have been keeping me laughing (between fits of frustration)!

Friday, September 2, on the way home from school, Taylor asked if she could call Mimi.  Here's the conversation.

Taylor: Mimi, did you know tomorrow is my mom's birthday?
Mimi:  Yes, I did.
Taylor: Oh! (As she tried to cover her disappointment)
Mimi: Taylor, did you know tomorrow is mine and Popsi's anniversary?
Taylor:  Really?
Mimi:   Yes, your mom was born on mine and Popsi's anniversary.
Taylor:  You mean that you had to go to the hospital on your anniversary?  That is NOT good!

Determined to be the one to share the big news with someone, Taylor asked to call Memaw.  I'm sure everyone remembers our last few posts about Memaw.  If you need a refresher, you can click here and here.  

Back to the phone call to Memaw...

Taylor: Memaw, did you know that tomorrow is my mom's birthday?  Do you want to come to our house to spend the night for my mom's birthday?

Me (yelling to the back of the car): Do NOT invite Memaw to our house to spend the night for my birthday.

Taylor: I know you can't drive, but Nanny will bring you.

Me (still yelling): Taylor, do NOT invite Memaw to spend the night at our house.  We are not having a birthday party tomorrow.

Taylor:  Memaw, I know Nanny will bring you to our house if you just call her and ask her.

Me (considering parking the car on the side of the road to physically intervene): TAY-LOR!  Do NOT invite Memaw to our house!  We ARE NOT having a party!  Tell Memaw bye!

Taylor (to me after ending the call): Mom, Memaw said that she can't come to our house tomorrow for your birthday.  I told her that if she will just call Nanny that Nanny will bring her to our house to spend the night for your birthday.  Don't you think Nanny will bring her?

On a different note...
Kennedy is at a new school this year.  She is going to school where we live rather than where I teach.  Henderson is a typical "small town" where everyone knows everyone and everyone's family.  The teachers at Kennedy's new school are beginning to figure out who she is and "where she comes from".  She apparently doesn't listen well and just puts pieces of conversations together.

One day she came home and said, "Mom, I learned something about you today."  Curiously I asked, "what?".  She said, "I learned that YOU taught Mrs.Bishop's husband!"  As I giggled, I explained to her that Mrs.Bishop is close to Mimi and Popsi's age, and that they have children about my age. I think she finally understood when I told her Mrs.Bishop's husband taught while I was in school, and I later taught in the same district with him.  Surely she doesn't really think I'm old enough to have taught Mr.Bishop...I hope.

Today Kennedy was telling me about some teachers at her school who know my parents.  She was going on about Mrs.Trimble and Mrs.Griffith.  She said, "They told me that they knew my Popsi when he was in school or something."  I asked if they told her that Popsi was a bad kid.  She said, "No.  They just said they knew all the Akin people."  She said proudly, "I told them that Popsi is in Pennsylvania and he works for the C. I. and A."  As I tried to not laugh out loud, I explained to Kennedy that Popsi is in Pennsylvania, but he works for C.B.&I."  She said, "Oops!"

They are so funny.  I think it's my reward from God for surviving another day of Motherhood.

 

You should write a book!

I can't even begin to count the number of times someone has said to me, "You should write a book!" regarding the funnies from the mouths of my children. I am happy to say that I have actually started two books. I am not even beginning to suggest that you'll see my name on a shelf at one of those large book stores some day. My two (soon to be three) books will be tucked away in a drawer at each of my daughters' houses.

Each of the girls has a book where I record funny things they say and do. I also make it a point each year to have their teachers write a little note to them regarding their year at school. It's pretty sappy, but I hope they will treasure it as much as I do. Well, now that I actually type these words I'm thinking that they may not get their books until I'm dead and gone. My original plan was to give each book to the main character at her college graduation, marriage, etc. Some big event. But, as those events begin to seem more near and less far, I'm not sure I can part with the books that soon.

With all of that out of the way, here are some great moments from the last two weeks!

Monday evening, I went walking with some friends while Chad got the girls ready for bed. When I returned home, all three girls were sleeping. Tuesday morning, I met a friend of mine to workout (yes, she's the trainer and I'm the one about to pass out). When I came in the door at 6:15 AM, Taylor was eating breakfast. She looked up at me and said, "You walked all night long?".

Thursday of last week, I asked Kennedy about her lunch at school. She's the picky kid who prefers to pack a lunch every day. She said, "My sandwich was a lot better than what those other kids were eating." I asked what the cafeteria served. She answered, "Those kids were eating chicken bladders!" I obviously grinned a little and asked more questions. She finally said that a student asked the principal what the food was and he (jokingly) said it was chicken liver. The other kids argued and said theirs was chicken bladder. I'm reasonably sure that all of the kids were joking. My silly girl is at a new school and believes e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g. right now!

Continuing with the food theme...

One day last week Taylor came into my office after school. I asked how her day was. She began the usual run down about first grade happenings. Then she got all excited and said, "I ate all that greenish-yellowish stuff on my apple." I said, "You mean the skin?" She looked at me with wrinkled brows and said, "That greenish-yellowish stuff!" I explained that it is the skin of the apple. Then I asked, "Well, did you eat the apple?" She said, "Mom, I told you I ate all that greenish-yellowish stuff off and that was all!" I'm willing to bet that I am the parent of one of only a handful of six year olds in America who eat the skin off the apple and throw the rest away!

And Tater Tot said...

All of my children make me smile every single day.  Lately, Tater Tot has just been full of silliness.  Here are a couple of her latest "Taylorisms".


At breakfast this morning Taylor said, "Mom, do you know what Pa told me?"  Knowing that Pa is always telling her something funny, I was afraid to ask.  She said, "Pa told me that he knows somebody who planted cheerios and grew donuts!"  I said, "Do you always believe everything Pa tells you?"  With hands on hip and head cocked sideways, she said, "I don't believe ANYTHING my Pa tells me!"


Monday morning while getting ready for day camp, she made me laugh out loud.  We continually have the conversation about brushing the back of your hair even if you can't see it.  I can't even tell you how many times I've said, "Go brush your hair" to which she responded, "I already did".  Generally, that means she brushed the front of her hair but not necessarily the back.  Monday, we had the following conversation:


T: Mom, does my hair look pretty?


Me: Yes, you did a good job.


T: Does it look like I brushed the back?


Me: (hesitantly) Yes, the back looks brushed.


T: Does my half look good?


Me: What?


T: Does my HALF look good?


Me:  What are you talking about?


T: (pointing to the part in her hair) THIS! Does my HALF look good?


Isn't she funny?

Well Poop!

I'll be quite honest here.  I don't get a lot of special requests for updates on the blog.  However, this week I had several requests on facebook and in person for this update.  Okay, the truth is that I think three people asked for it and one was my mom.  She does count, right?


Friday evening (I think) Chad, Big, and Middle were outside.  The story was that they were working.  However, when I went to share the news, I found Chad visiting with the neighbor and Big and Middle riding scooters around the cars (which is strictly forbidden due to the disaster 2 years ago).


Back to the story.  Friday night I was in the house alone with just the Blakinator.  She was a mess.  So, being the good mom that I am on Friday nights, I decided that she needed a bath.  Truthfully, I needed a break from the moaning and whining that she uses in place of the English language.  Blake loves the water.  She splashes and plays and coos and splashes and splashes and well, you get the point.  Blake has also learned to stand up in the tub.  Yes, I know that is NOT GOOD.  So, we have trained her to sit down.  Actually, she has trained us to say "sit down" and wait and repeat and then physically pull her hands off the side of the tub.  And then she flashes the most adorable smile and stands herself back up!


Back to the story, again.  After allowing Blake to splash water all over the bathroom, I dried her off and sent her down the hall.  Finished drying up the flood of water on the floor, I headed out to find the most adorable "tiny hiny" playing with her diaper bag.

Of course, I didn't get the funniest picture.  She did have the strap on her shoulder like she was carrying a purse.  But she continued to play for several minutes.  I just smiled and snapped a few more pictures like this one.

I was so wrapped up in her cuteness when I suddenly heard the quietest little toot.  She looked up at me a grinned like "did you hear that too?"  I just smiled and proceeded to looked at the pictures on the camera display for a second.  I was admiring the cuteness that I had captured digitally.  One-point-four seconds later, I looked back up and saw

Yes, the cuteness was immediately replaced with disgust.  She pooped on my carpet.  Now I understand that she is less than a year old and didn't have on a diaper.  However, she needs to understand that I lived with stained, ugly, used-to-be-white carpet for years.  And when we finally had all of our children "trained" we replaced it with this carpet.  Yes, that was exactly 7 days before we knew I was pregnant with her. But still, she pooped on my new carpet! 
So folks, that's the story.  Poop!

Can you find

Kennedy is my neat, organized child.  Taylor is my hoarder not as neat and organized child.  However, she knows what she has and where it is...most of the time.  Okay, maybe she doesn't know exactly where it is unless it is important to her.  You might ask, "How do you know if it's important to her?"  Well, I'm going to show you.  These are Taylor's important things. 

Can you find the following items? I've included some up-close photos of the same pile below.
Christmas Jingle Bell bracelet, pink and white mechanical pencil, Hubba Bubba Bubble Gum, 2 black/white checked socks, 2 green/white frog socks, 1 yellow checked sock, tic tacs, 2 pink plastic bracelets, Build A Be@r MP3 player, empty make up case with mirror, 2 black tennis shoes, 3 varying shades of pink lip gloss, Halloween flashing necklace, 2 garden gloves with the fingers cut out, 5 unused (thank you, Jesus) band-aids, 2 half star shaped plastic mystery items, container of miniature office supplies, black plastic bracelet with broken cross pendant tied to it with random string, 3 pens, 1 unsharpened pencil, 2 Abby Cadabby Halloween shoes, paper lady bug, Gold Bond lotion, lid to GB lotion, Eucerin lotion, lid to lotion, purple note pad, 2 hair clips, heart shaped eraser, purple pony,silly band, random cut out papers, "Hamster" on a piece of paper, and Valentine ribbon

Oh, and I also found her "Take Home Folder" in her backpack tonight!

Funny Dickerson Kids

I know I started a blog last month and never finished it up with part two. I haven't forgotten, I've just lost interest for the moment. But, we've had a few funnies lately that I just had to share before I file them safely in each of the girls' books.

At the deer lease, we stay in a tiny travel trailer. It is much better than couped up with other family members with our three children, but seriously, a family of 5 does not belong in a 25 foot travel trailer. But, we were in the trailer. Kennedy and Taylor were on the "bed" which can also be the kitchen table with just a few clicks and snaps. Blake and I were outside sitting by the fire. Chad was in "the office", which most of us call the restroom. If you've never experienced life in a travel trailer, let me just say that the gap at the top and bottom of the bathroom door is um...huge. Kennedy and Taylor came out of the trailer. I asked what they were doing and Kennedy said, "uh, Taylor and I just need a courtesy flush from Daddy!"

Later that weekend as we were preparing to leave, we had to take care of our favorite things. I know this post may be developing a stinking theme, but life in a travel trailer S.T.I.N.K.S. The sewer tank must be emptied. Our hillbilly children refer to this process as "cleaning out the pooper". Taylor came to me as I was gathering things to take back home for the week and asked if I was going to "clean out the pooper". I very nicely replied, "nope, that's a boy's job". She very seriously looked at me and said, "yeah, and girls can just watch them if they want to, huh?" Yep Tater, if you want to watch them clean out the sewer, knock yourself out!

Finally...

Tonight was stressful.

~Blake did not have an afternoon nap.
~Blake has learned to crawl all over the house in the last few days.

Blake crawled down the hall into her room. She attempted to pull up on something that was not "pull up approved". It fell over and hit her on the cheekbone. Prior to this incident, Taylor jumped up from her seat at the table where she was coloring and attempted to run to the restroom. However, she ran over Blake and knocked her over on the tile floor. So, Blake had a red spot on one cheek from Taylor's knee, a red spot on her head where she fell over when Taylor bumped her, and a knot on her cheek bone which will probably be her first black eye. She looked terrible, felt terrible, and was a grouch! I was trying to feed the crying, spoon-slapping, exhausted child in the highchair while everyone else was eating. Taylor said, "Momma, can you go get me some more green beans?" As Chad was sitting at the other end of the table feeding himself and nothing more, I asked Taylor, "why do you always say Momma?" She looked at me like I had two heads and said, "what do you want me to call you? Shannon?"

Yes, this is the crazy life that I live and I love.

The unthinkable happened at MY house...part 1

Last month we had the entire week of Thanksgiving off from school. Kennedy, Taylor, Blake and I had big plans. I'm not real sure what our plans were, but they were B.I.G. So, the "big girls" stayed with Chad's mother and father most of the weekend before Thanksgiving. That was great, except that it meant on Monday morning (my first official day off work) I had to be in Tyler by 7:15 A.M. to get them so his parents could go to work. Like I said, I'm not real sure what our plans were, but I do know what my plan was NOT--getting up at 5:45 A.M. to drive to Tyler!

But, since my kids were at their house, and they both seem to like their jobs, I did the "favorite daughter-in-law" thing to do and went to get my kids. Since I can't really function that early on a day off, I rode with Chad in the big truck. No, it's really not that big, but compared to The Mighty Moe (Toyota), it's huge! The big truck has four doors and can comfortably seat five people, and we can always squish another person in the middle in the front seat. And since I'm also the "favorite sister-in-law", I called Chad's sister on her day off (early...like 7A.M.) to see if she wanted to run around and shop with Kennedy, Taylor, Blake, and I. Now, if you don't know Mary, let me just tell you that I can't remember a time that I invited her to shop or spend time with my kids that she didn't agree to come along. That woman L-O-V-E-S to shop and A-D-O-R-E-S her nieces!

While we were waiting on Aunt Mary to get to Nanny's house, Aunt Nancy called. Nancy is Chad's other sister. I did mention that I'm the "favorite sister-in-law", right? Well, Aunt Nancy called to see if I wanted Heather to come along and help with the girls while I was shopping. I told her we had plenty of help, but would love Heather to come along if she wanted to just hang out with two of her coolest aunts! Although Heather is only 16, she is pretty smart and capitalized on the golden opportunity!

Now, I know some of my dearest friends are mathematically challenged, so let me just set the scene for you...

Front seat of four-door truck: Shannon, Heather, Mary
Back seat of four-door truck: Kennedy in booster seat, Blake in infant carrier with massive base that makes life so much easier, and Taylor in booster seat with back on it

Yes, we had three car seats in the back seat and three adults in the front of the truck. We were packed in like those nasty little baby food Vienna sausage things! Or, if you like, packed in like sardines!

The girls and I made several stops and had a fantastic time. One of the highlights of the day (before the unthinkable happened) was when we went to lunch. As we walked into Chick-fil-A, Taylor said, "Come on Heather! Let's go play!" In an attempt to save Heather from having to be the heartbreaker, I replied, "Taylor, I bet Heather's not the right size to play in there." Taylor quickly reminded me, "Heather is big enough to come play in here, Mom!"

Grrrr!

This isn't much of a post, but I PROMISE you will laugh. Each child has a unique gift, right? Well, yesterday while having dinner, we discovered Blake's gift. Take a peak!

A picture is worth how many words?

This is just a funny picture that I wanted to share. While getting ready for a garage sale, I decided to go through and organize the boxes of clothing in the attic. Blake was "helping" me. Can you find her?



This picture is Blake at the family reunion last week. Can anyone guess what is going on here?


And this picture will qualify me as "Worst Mom of the Year" but I couldn't help myself and had to post it. Sisters do EVERYTHING together! I always wanted a sister, but I had no idea what all we could've done with each other!