Our Young Woman

Nervously waiting...

Right...

Left...

Tyra's favorite food, noodles!

The only things Tyra would ask for for her birthday were chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast, having mom take her out of school for the lunch hour, getting her ears pierced, and eating Lo Mein for dinner. Even when I offered a huge sleepover, or a small one, or to go to a movie, roller skating rink, laser tag, etc., etc., she just didn't want to do anything that would call attention to herself amongst friends. She's like Queenie Farmer's daughters, except that even when it's her birthday she still asks for so little! Sweet Tyra, she seemed to have an enjoyable, if busy day. She barely had time to accept her breakfast in bed (she takes her shower then goes back to bed while her hair is drying on a towel.) then she had to rush to get out to her bus. She has a crazy early lunch, and so Beth and I picked her up at 10am and met up with Tom at the Burger King where Tyra had a breakfast sandwich for her lunch. We really didn't have time to go home for her to relax or open her presents that Grandma Lee and Grandpa Lee & Pam had sent earlier. But since she had to stop to clean her braces (she's very good and consistent at keeping them clean) so I grabbled her presents for her to open in the car on the way there. She came home from school happy and we basically left as soon as Tom got home early for her to get her ears pierced at Claire's in the mall, and then to a Chinese Restaurant and finally off to her first night of YW where they had a "future missionaries" conference ending with ice cream. Back at home it was business as usual as she had plenty of homework and studying for a test on the Byzantine Empire. She's so cute in her earrings and braces!

Lily turns 7

Lily wanted a mermaid party and since her birthday was on the second day of school she shared cupcakes on her birthday at school and invited some of her friends to come in 2 Saturdays to her party. She also got waffles in bed and got to choose a restaurant (with her dad's help.)

The party had no surprise younger siblings or boys, so Lily was able to stay in control of her party and all the games, which was a major goal this year, after her distress last year. She drew and painted a mermaid for pin the flower in the mermaid's hair. She stuffed the pinata, she helped put up all the seaweed streamers, and generally did quite a bit of her own work for her party. The next morning when I asked her how she liked the party I was surprised that she still didn't just give it a resounding 2 thumbs up [sic]. She did have fun, but it appears that Lily has finally grown up from the traditional games she has clung to each year, and finally agrees with me that we might not do a pinata next year, that fewer friends might be more fun, and that some of the games are just too young for her. Do you hear the loud huzzah? But just as I was thinking, great, I won't have to spend so much time on games and decorating and stuff next year, Lily said "I think I like decorating and getting ready for the party more than having the party."
I went on to explain how Grandma Linda used to always help Tyra plan and execute little parties just for the family to enjoy, and maybe that's what Lily would like to do too.
I know this is the time for me to write about how amazing our Lillian is, but I think we say so all the time. She's our can-do girl, always willing to try new things, help in new ways, etc. We are so glad she's a part of our family.

Tom's birthday

After having an amazing delicious hibachi dinner in Winston-Salem on our quadruple date night, Tom decided to do hibachi with the kids. The chef was fun, at least, even if the food quality and pricing were much worse.

Tom also requested éclairs again this year, and I was pleased that they actually looked like éclairs this time, but the camera's batter was dead by then.

The pictures were just before Lily's party (hence the blue waterfall in the background) but I just wanted to capture my handsome man with his blue eyes and awesome hair. He actually just got around 7 inches cut off yesterday.

We are so lucky to have such a crazy, happy guy around, telling bad puns at every turn :)

Thomas Rocks the House

So GramaLee bought Rockband (Lego and Beatles) for us last Christmas. Thomas was soon playing every song on the expert level on the drums. And then he started taking all the toy drums, buckets, and anything else that could reverberate into his room to set up his own personal drum kit. Finally Tom looked around for a drum teacher so Thomas could both go up and down a level by learning how to drum properly. He is a stickler for form and all the things you can't really learn by yourself. Thomas seems to like it enough to go back to hitting "8 rights and 8 lefts" to just get the sticks to bounce back the right height.
We found a drum set on craigslist that really appealed to Thomas for the variety of drums and cymbals, and I took this video right after we did our best to assemble it in the wine cellar. Which I now realize has duct work that goes right up to the dining room...

Tyra's Terrific Teeth aka Beautiful Braces, at this point

The pictures say it all...

The All New Betsy

First of all, the name. She started telling everyone she wanted to go by "Betsy." Well, I chose her name partially because of the endless nickname possibilities. and there's no law saying you have to stick to the one you chose when you were 2.

Second, the glasses. Unfortunately I didn't get a good shot of her with her glasses wwhile she had long hair. Very cute. Then,

third, the new 'do. She finally reached the requisite 10 inches to donate her ponytail to Locks of Love. Very cute, too!

This girl is ready for Kindergarten (all 2 hours and 40 minutes/day that she'll get.)

Thomas Turns Ten

It was Beth's Party, and She Cried Cuz she wanted to

With our 1.89 acres...

You can see our house in the background










Tyra called this the peaceful grotto

Everyone can skip rocks now that we have a smooth surface and an endless supply of perfect shale

From this point on, where Tyra is, Back Brook goes off into Shuss woods

The last picture has me standing right where you step off the lawn down to the bank.