High Five for Friday (11.14.14)

1. Both Will and Hallie wrapped up their soccer seasons this week, Will with a victory in his final game and Hallie with a scrimmage during which she touched the ball at least five times. The most significant victory for Hallie, however, was not that she kicked the ball but that when she took a ball in the face during the scrimmage she (cried first but eventually pulled herself together and) KEPT PLAYING. I couldn't believe it myself, but boy, was I proud.

Hallie's soccer program provides parents with the opportunity to purchase a trophy for their child. I don't particularly like participation trophies, especially when the participant (AKA Hallie) doesn't always do so willingly, so I came up with and offered Hallie an alternative just prior to the season getting underway. I told her that I would buy her a trophy, OR, at the end of the season if I felt she had tried her hardest at every single soccer practice, I would give her $10 and take her to Target to pick out whatever toy she wanted. She surprised me by picking the $10 option, and surprised me even more when she willingly participated - I only had to remind her of our deal twice, and one of those times was after the ball hit her in the face during the scrimmage - throughout the entire season. Again, so proud.

2. On a related note, on Sunday afternoon we went to Target so Hallie could spend her $10. She picked out this mermaid that actually swims - well, more like spastically shoots back and forth like a teal-tipped torpedo - in the bathtub.

The directions warned against using the mermaid near hair. 12 seconds later, we learned why the directions included this warning.

High five for successfully getting Hallie's hair out of the mermaid's hidden propeller, and high five that the mermaid still works after its temporary technical difficulties!

3. Tom, the kids, and all of the kids' friends have fallen head over heels in love with Tux. This is because none of them have to clean up his messes, or his poop, when it ends up in the laundry basket, the sink, the bathtub, or the trashcan.

One of my favorite kitten-related moments was watching Will and Kaylee work together while struggling to strap Tux into Hallie's doll stroller. I simultaneously flashed back to Tom and I doing the same thing with baby Will, who refused confinement in his carseat, and flashed forward to grown-up Will and Kaylee doing the same thing with an actual baby. Then I freaked out because Will and Kaylee are eight and seven and we're not marrying them off just yet.

4. On a Girl Scout camping trip many, many years ago, my little sister - probably five years old at the time - spent close to an hour collecting acorns and storing them in her pockets. Later that afternoon, our troop went for a hike through the woods. Midway across a boardwalk designed to keep hikers from sinking into a marshy swamp, Sara caught her toe and went sprawling belly-flop-style down onto the wooden slats. The impact forced the acorns to cut sharply into her skin, and as most five-year-old little girls do when in pain, Sara started screaming and crying. She also started pulling acorns from her pockets and violently throwing them into the woods, all the while shouting, "I HATE ACORNS! I HATE ALL THE ACORNS!"

I probably laughed at Sara that day (which wouldn't have helped my mom retrieve Sara from her acorn-induced rage), and none of us have ever really stopped gently poking fun at her dislike for acorns. Which is why, when the kids and I found a slew of acorns at the park near our house, I asked Will fill up his pockets for a photo opportunity. I sent Sara this picture with the text, "Pockets full of acorns…I've warned him about the risks".

I can only assume that upon receiving my text message Sara panicked and deleted the picture...because she never responded.

5. Happiness Highlights

"Fangtastic" Will doing a little pumpkin-related science at school.

Is this not the best picture of baby Cullen making footprints on
a Christmas plate? I love that his look says, "do you see what
these ladies are doing to me?! Aren't you going to do something?"

So camouflaged you can hardly see these two!

Me and my boy watching the Aggie women soccer's
team play in (and win) the SEC tournament.

Will is teaching Hallie how to play Heart and Soul on the piano.
The process is s…l…o…w,  but over the course of an hour on Sunday
afternoon she learned the first third of the song. Will deserves a medal!

Happy Friday, friends!

Linking up with High Five for Friday!

Hallie on the MTA

My dad is an accountant by trade, but for as long as I can remember he has not-so-secretly wished that his career path had taken him in a different direction. If he had it to do over again, he would have been a rock-and-roll star.

He actually was something of a rock-and-roll star back in the day - my mom "called" him after spotting him on stage, playing his guitar and singing with his band, while out with friends. And even though his professional life ended up revolving around numbers, at home he remained a musician.

Growing up my sister and I loved to join in with him and his music-as-a-second-career friends when they held jam sessions in our music room. One of our favorite songs to sing, even still today, was called "Charlie on the MTA", and it tells the story of a less-than-brilliant man (Charlie) who found himself stuck on Boston's subway system (the Metropolitan Transit Authority/MTA). The song was originally recorded as a part of the campaign to elect Walter O'Brien as mayor of Boston, but when the ad became a hit, it was rerecorded by The Kingston Trio.

Let me tell you the story
Of a man named Charlie
On a tragic and fateful day.
He put ten cents in his pocket
Kissed his wife and family
Went to ride on the MTA.

Charlie handed in his dime
At the Kendall Square Station
And he changed for Jamaica Plain.
When he got there the conductor told him
"One more nickel"
Charlie could not get off that train.

Did he ever return
No he never returned
And his fate is still unlearn'd (poor ol' Charlie).
He may ride forever
'Neath the streets of Boston
He's the man who never returned.

Now all night long
Charlie rides through the station
Crying, "What will become of me?
How can I afford to see
My sister in Chelsea
Or my cousin in Roxbury?"

Charlie's wife goes down
To the Scollay Square station
Every day at quarter past two.
And through the open window
She hands Charlie a sandwich
As the train comes rumblin' through.

Now you citizens of Boston
Don't you think it's a scandal
That the people have to pay and pay.
Fight the fare increase
Vote for Walter A. O'Brien
And get Charlie off the MTA.

Or else he'll never return,
No he'll never return
And his fate will be unlearned.
He may ride forever
'neath the streets of Boston
He's the man who never returned.

By now you're probably wondering why in the world I'm talking about this ridiculous song…

Hallie learned to ride her bike without training wheels a few months back. After mastering staying upright, she tackled turns and taking off on from a standing position on a flat surface like a rockstar. She still hasn't, however, mastered how to stop. Well, let me rephrase that: she WON'T stop. For some reason, Hallie is terrified to use her brakes to stop or even slow her bike. She just rides faster and faster, and then in circles, until an adult catches her, grabs her handlebars, and brings the bike to an abrupt halt, all the while screaming and crying and refusing to acknowledge that the power to end this nonsense is hers.

After watching this scenario play out a few times, it came to me - Hallie on her bike is Charlie on the MTA.

Let me tell you of a story 
Of a gal named Hallie 
On a tragic and fateful day. 
She kissed her mama, 
fastened on her helmet, 
and climbed up on her big girl bike. 

Hallie took off for a ride 
Around the block, 
And all went according to plan.
But when she returned home, 
She wouldn't use her brakes…
Hallie couldn't get off her bike. 

Now all day long 
Hallie rides in circles, 
crying won't someone please help me! 
How can I eat a snack
Or drink my lemonade,
And what if I have to pee?" 

Now I go outside 
to the street by our house 
to watch this all unfold.
I hand her snack 
as she rides by,
but the tears continue to flow.

Will she ever stop? 
No she'll never stop. 
And her fate is still unlearned (poor ol' Hallie). 
She may ride forever 
on the streets of Brandon's Cove.
She's the girl who couldn't stop.

And yes, we're still riding bikes here in Texas. This November's weather rocks my world.

A Little Bit Brighter

Please help me welcome sweet baby Forest - son of Tom's brother Adam and his wife Chandi - to the Ferris family!

Forest arrived eight days late at 9 lbs. 0 oz. and 21.2 inches long. He was born on Halloween night, which I find completely perfect, given that Adam and Chandi both also share their birthdays with holidays (Adam and Chandi were married on his birthday, and Chandi's birthday is on Valentine's Day). As we could have anticipated, Forest has a Ferris-sized head (better to house the Ferris-sized brain) and a Ferris nose. I love that every Ferris child, grandchild, cousin, and second cousin - regardless of hair color, eye color, skin tone, mouth shape, etc. - looks related thanks to this dominant feature.

Speaking of Ferris kiddos looking related, I think Forest looks an awful lot like Will did as an infant.

Wow, point-and-shoot cameras took poor photos eight years ago...

Will and Hallie wanted to guess the baby's name, so I offered two clues: first, the name started with the letter F, and second, the name belonged to something found in nature. Hallie guessed "Fishing", and when I suggested she guess again, she argued with me ("FISHING STARTS WITH AN 'F' AND IS FOUND IN NATURE!!") and then threw up her hands in exasperation. It's entirely possible she'll call the baby Fishing down the road.

Forest's arrival reminds me yet again of how difficult it can be to live far from family. This beautiful baby and his parents make their home thousands of miles from us, and we won't see any of them for months. I'm grateful for the ease with which we share pictures and communicate with one another, but texted photos and FaceTime come in a distant second to in-person hugs and sweet baby cuddles.

I've heard it said that when a new baby enters the world it becomes just a little bit brighter. For our family, when this new baby entered the world it became a lot brighter.

So bright, in fact, that these two needed sunglasses.

High Five for Friday (11.7.14)

Last week I felt kind of down in the dumps. This week I feel much better, so I'm starting this post off with my Happiness Highlights.

1. Happiness Highlights:

Hallie made Will a new set of headphones out of printer paper,
cupcake papers, and LOTS of tape. Creative and crafty, that one.

When I taught Will how to practice his soccer shot and pass against
the side of our house, I had flashbacks to the many hours I spent
practicing my shot and pass against the side of Jefferson Middle
School. I love that soccer has returned to Will's sports mix!

Mr. Soccer before last weekend's game.

Tailgating with friends and Tom's co-workers. Perhaps the
most perfect fall day - both weather- and activity-wise - ever!

2. I have purchased tickets to see "Mockingjay, Part 1" with friends and lined up Tom to watch the kids on November 20th (the night before the movie technically opens). I have purchased tickets to see "Mockingjay, Part 1" with Tom and lined up a babysitter to watch the kids on November 21st. Mockingjay sits on my night stand, ready for a quick reread. 13 days, my friends. 13 days.

3. While Tom traveled, I let Will and Hallie each spend one night in our bed. I don't sleep particularly well, what with all the thrashing and snoring, but I love having them close...especially in such a peaceful state.

4. The past two years we've invited friends over on Halloween for Trick-or-Treating followed by drinks, dinner, and catching up (while the kids watched The Great Pumpkin and sorted their loot). We opted not to do so this last Friday, not because we don't love our friends but because Tom traveled the entire week before Halloween and we thought it would be nice to spend the evening just the four of us. Well, just the four of us and 188 trick-or-treaters. (Yes, we won again.)

We headed out to Trick-or-Treat a little after 6pm, and by 7pm Will wanted to head home. He really enjoys handing out candy, so while he and Tom held down the fort (they played soccer in the front yard, pausing whenever kids started up the front sidewalk), Hallie and I soldiered on for an additional 45 minutes.

On that night Hallie was, simply put, a delight to be around. I love Halloween, and spending it with my little Goldilocks was absolutely perfect.

5. And last but not least, a little publicity for a worthy cause…

My lovely friend and kindred spirit Leslie is co-organizing the 6th annual Water Party in Davenport, Iowa later this month. The event aims to increase awareness about (the lack of) access to clean water and raise funds for The Adventure Project to train and equip well mechanics working in Uganda.

"Clean water is everything. It's health. It's education. It's an end to violence. And it's dignity. Over one-third of all wells drilled in the last 20 years are now broken…but you can put a dent in this tragic figure."

The 2014 Water Party will be held next Friday, November 15th. I would attend the festivities if could, both because I love Leslie and because this cause deserves my support. But since I can't travel halfway across the country for one evening, I'm purchasing a $10 raffle ticket to win…wait for it, ladies…a Jason Wu clutch valued at $1295.00!

100% of the money - that's every last penny - raised from both admission ticket sales and raffle ticket sales goes straight to The Adventure Project. If you'd like to support The Adventure Project's efforts and purchase a Water Party raffle ticket, or if you live in the Davenport area and would like to attend Water Party, click here.

Happy Friday, friends. Make this weekend great!

Linking up with High Five for Friday!

A Moo By Any Other Name

Despite his frequent and vicious attacks on our toes, ankles, and hair and his semi-regular pooping in the sink, bathtub, trashcans, and laundry baskets, our kitten has found a place in our hearts. At first Will wouldn't go near the little fur ball for fear of getting scratched or bitten, but now they've developed a boy-and-his-dog relationship similar to the one he once had with Duke. (Hallie and the kitten have developed a girl-and-her-doll relationship similar to the one she has with…her dolls.) He's all we'd hoped for in a pet.

The kitten's name, on the other hand, isn't exactly what we'd hoped for. After a few weeks of calling him Moo, the four of us humans came to the conclusion that his name wasn't quite right. It didn't roll off the tongue the way we thought it would, and the kitten just didn't feel like a Moo. Last weekend we threw around a couple of new names - Lenny and Leo - but because we agreed that the decision to change the kitten's name had to be unanimous and Will wasn't sold on either one, we stuck with Moo.

The previous Friday, my friend Mandi's mom described the kitten as a Tuxedo cat. I thought nothing of it until Monday morning, when I walked into the house and without thinking called the kitten "Tux". I knew immediately that the kitten's name was meant to be Tux, and thankfully everyone else agreed with me.

Moo is out, Tux is in.

He celebrated his new moniker by dragging an entire roll of paper into the toilet and clogging it.