day 134 - last day of the dinosaurs

According to G, this is what happened when the "giant meat-eater" hit the Earth.

Get it...meteor..."meat-eater."

day 133 - they're here!

2010-2011 School Pictures

day 132 - for daddy

G couldn't decide which color straw Daddy would like in his Coke.

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So he gave him all 4.

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note: This is actually a very big deal around here. M always likes red straws and G always likes green straws. They know this about one another and are very careful to give each other the "right" color straw.

day 131 - guilty

OK...so October was a really crazy month around here.

I did a really bad job of "hurrying up and slowing down."

I am totally guilty of not taking the time to appreciate the small moments.

As a result, the next few (actually 29) posts will be a little more difficult for me to come up with.

Bear with me though...I will catch up!

day 130 - i've got nothin'

At least nothing current.

Here's a few favorite "old" pictures.

Sweet first moments between big sister and baby brother.

day 129 - girls' night

M and I went to Miller Outdoor Theater tonight to watch the Shanghai Ballet.

Very cool.

She was very excited...check out the sign she made and was holding up at the beginning of the performance.

She cracks me up.

day 128 - i like this

day 127 - the best part

...of the field trip was running up and down (and up and down and up and down) the big grassy hill at the ampitheater before the show.

day 126 - big boy

first field trip

day 125 - fall is here!

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When we woke up this morning it was "cold" (by Texas standards).

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The kids (and I) were giddy!

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note: because I am actually posting this over one month later, I can tell you that fall was not here for long...temps in the high 80's were back a little over a week later. boo.

day 124 - watercolors

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We (heart) watercolors.

Lately G has been into "making" colors.

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You know...

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yellow + blue = green

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red + blue = purple

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purple + red + yellow + blue + purple + orange + green = brownish-black

day 123 - retreat!

I retreated this weekend with 100+ women from our church.

What a great, refreshing, exhausting time!

Exhausting only because we stayed up late talking and talking and talking...think "slumber party."

I can't capture all that was said here, but suffice it to say that the weekend and its message was incredibly poignant and humbling and uplifting all at the same time.

My biggest takeaway..."The only attribute of God that we a commanded to abide in is His love." (See John 15:9)

day 122 - true comfort

These words offer true comfort and peace as I move through this journey called life often feeling blind, lost and clumsy. God is so good and faithful!

I will lead the blind by ways they have not know,
along unfamiliar paths I will guide them.
I will turn the darkness into light before them
and make the rough places smooth.

Isaiah 42:16

day 121 - timeless fun

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I wonder how many times these very toys have been arranged in a similar fashion by little Hesters boys?

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(note: these were Chad's Star Wars toys)

day 120 - who knew?

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Who knew it was so easy to make "real" popcorn?

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Apparently my friend Megan does.

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She shared her "secret" recipe with me.

canola oil + popping corn + salt + pot with lid + stove = deliciousness

day 119 - a whale in the tub

I heard the most awful splashing sounds coming from our bathroom.

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I could have sworn there was a whale in our bathtub.

But it was "only" Grady.

He sure can displace a lot of water for being such a small guy.

day 118 - just like me

Have you ever had a moment where you realize that your children are "just like you."

And it scares you?

That happens to me a lot.

day 117 - reading aloud

If you're reading this, you probably know that reading books to children is one of my life's passions.

We have been reading to M and G since the day they were born. This is the bookshelf in their room, what you don't see is the basket full of books at the foot of their bed. We love books!
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I've had the opportunity to start a new volunteer effort at the public school that M and G attend.
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The focus? reading aloud to kindergarten and pre-k students
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The purpose? to share a love and passion for reading with students who may not be read to at home

I thought I would list a few of our family's favorite read aloud titles: Goodnight Moon, Runaway Bunny, The Big Red Barn, any fairy tale, Little Black Sambo, The Three Little Pigs, any Curious George, Skippyjohn Jones, Charlotte's Web, The Mouse and the Motorcycle, Sylvester and the Magic Pebble, anything by Eric Carle, How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight?, The Little Red Hen, Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, Pickles to Pittsburgh, The Jesus Storybook Bible, Where the Wild Things Are, Chicken Soup with Rice, Pierre, Alligators All Around, Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel, Gus Was a Friendly Ghost, I Can Fly!, Ferdinand, and many, many more

day 116 - a final post on footware

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These shoes have been banned from G's school.

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Apparently, pre-k teachers do not like having to re-lace and re-tie shoes all day.

day 115 - better footware

Morgan (and I) love her boots.

This is the first day she had the opportunity to wear them this year.

day 114 - picture day

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Too bad they couldn't capture the socks and shoes in M's school portrait this year.

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They really "made" the outfit.

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Can you believe I let her go to school like this??

day 113 - weird

My kids are so weird!

They were playing sukh (Arab market) today.

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Oh the fun you can have with an empty box, a bandana, a lei and other random bits found about the house!

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The wares they were selling...celery and cold water.

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M would send G out into the market (our kitchen) yelling, "Cool crunchy celery and cold water for sale."

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He actually sidled up next to me and said, "Hey lady. Come have some cold water and celery over here."

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It was kind of scary how convincing he was.

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Perhaps he has a future as a salesman...or a CIA agent.

day 113 - Jaleesa?

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Here's a little sampling of a conversation I had with G (after listening to a little too much Ting Tings apparently).
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Mommy, I want to be called Jaleesa. (What? No.)
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OK. How about Crush? (That's much better.)
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(I mean seriously, does he even look like a Jalessa?)

day112 - good for me

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This study is exactly what I need at this exact moment.

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I absolutely love it.

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It is so good for me and for my soul.

You're not going to believe this...

...but I actually have posts (or excuses) for all 50 days I've missed.

My last post was for September 13th.

It's now November 1st.

So pathetic. I'm not a professional blogger.

You are about to experience a time warp...hold on.

wow! i'm REALLY behind...

Please don't remind me what I said on day 93.

I have done it again.

I'm 28 days behind on my blog. How does this happen?

Not enough slowing down, that's how!

Just wanted to say that I am just stubborn enough to NOT give up.

By the end of the month I'll be all caught up...I think.

That's the plan anyway.

Is anyone even reading this anymore?

day 111 - a "perfect" morning, part 2

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We saw these super cool guys yesterday during our "perfect" morning at the park.
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The kids loved them.
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I mean honestly, who doesn't love a good mariachi?
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We also saw this cute little guy at the zoo.
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See...it was the perfect morning!
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day 110 - a "perfect" morning, part 1

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Today had the perfect mid-September morning at Hermann Park in Houston...which means we were bitten by mosquitos and endured crazy hot & humid weather.

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But it was nice...really.

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This is a picture of Chad not even breaking stride to swat at the Texas state insect.

day 109 - plate licker

On day 11 I called G a "pit tickler." (He still is by the way...)

He's also a "plate licker"...at least when chocolate is involved.

day 108 - there's a new chef in town

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M and G have been taking turns preparing dinner with me for the past couple of weeks. Tonight was M's turn. She very politely followed directions and helped me prepare our main dish.

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When we were done she said, "OK, now its my turn. I need tomatoes, oregano, basil, apples, strawberries, oil, salt and pepper and vanilla." I must admit, I was intrigued. We gathered the ingredients and talked a little about her plan.

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Her first "side" (her term - we've been watching too much Top Chef) was a tomato & oregano pasta salad. She tasted it and didn't think the vanilla would be so great...I agreed. I introduced a new ingredient: balsalmic vinegar. (note: she would not allow me to taste anything until Daddy came home and we sat down for dinner.)

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Her second "side" was strawberries and apples with a dipping sauce. She couldn't figure out how to get the vanilla and basil together...I suggested Greek yougurt. After tasting, she decided it needed a little honey. (again, no tasting on my part)

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Finally, Daddy got home and we were allowed to taste the dishes. They were amazing!! I'll be making the basil/vanilla/honey yougurt dipping sauce again soon.

day 107 - snail

I found a snail in a parking lot today.

I couldn't believe it as it was happening, but I actually found myself bending down to pick it up so I could show it to M and G after school. (I take this as proof positive that this experiment is working...I'm slowing down!)

M and G were fascinated...especially M.

I love that slimy things don't freak her out.

day 106 - boots

This is what G wore to school today.

I love, love, love that they go to a school where each child is encouraged to have their own personal style.

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Even though those style choices may make me a little crazy sometimes.

day 105 - #25288

That's our Daisy troop number.

M = Girl Scout

I = Girl Scout leader

Today was our first meeting...there were a few crazy moments. There are 10 of them!!

day 104 - besties

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M (hearts) R.

R (hearts) M.

day 103 - cooking

G is quite the chef.

He prepared, plated and served scrambled eggs family style for dinner tonight.

day 102 - sweet (and sassy)

sweet (adj.) - much loved: DEAR

sassy (adj.) - IMPUDENT

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Lately M has been both sweet (dear) and sassy (impudent).

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Some people think sassy is cute...I do not.

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(note: Presently, this is M's favorite shirt. It's a bit much for me...hot pink sequins!? At least I don't have to wear it.)

day 101 - treasures

We spent a while at a park today in San Antonio.

M and G had a great time hiking with their Daddy, Uncle Shane and Marmee.

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These are the treasures they collected.

day 100 - bittersweet

Today I got to spend the morning at the zoo with sweet August.

It was so fun, but it made me mourn the loss of spontaneous mid-week zoo trips...and holding hands with a sweet sweet 2 year old.

day 99 - nuts!

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We eat a lot of peanuts at our house.

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So many that we actually have peanut buckets!

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This is one of G's favorite things to do.

day 98 - doorbell

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I just love our doorbell.

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I like to believe that it was here when our little house was built in 1929.

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Which means it has been announcing the arrival of visitors for decades.

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Today its cheerful ring meant that our friends were here to play!

day 97 - yummylicious

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Still loving that la-la-melon!

day 96 - big time

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You know your little girl is all grown up when she starts taking spelling tests!

day 95 - project runway hopeful

the challenge: make an outfit for one of your stuffed animals using only silly bandz

And...I think she's dressed for the part.

Have you seen the crazy quirky outfits some of the contestants on Project Runway have been wearing?

Makes this outfit look a little tame.

day 94 - don't take my picture

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Someone is tired of having their picture taken.

day 93 - never again

...will I let myself get so far behind.

I have been updating this blog for 2.5 hours.

What a waste of all that time I mentioned in day 89.