Yee-haw!

It is rodeo season and once again all the schools are doing Western Day. Ellie's school kicked it up a notch this year by teaching the kids how to country dance and inviting the parents to come watch. Here is Ellie this morning before school:

Here is Ellie last year. Same skirt.

And here is Ellie the three years before that. We were really into denim back then.

Gotta love Texas!

Because he makes me laugh

Guess what was my favorite part of my Valentine's present from Tom? The card.

I started laughing as soon as I saw it and I laughed even harder when I read what he wrote.
It says, "I think this card sums up how much I love you while graphically depicting the passion we share for each other."

My love/hate relationship with v-day

I don't love teaching teenagers on Valentines' Day.

I do love dressing my kids in Valentines-y attire.

I don't love making tons of Valentine's cards only to discover that Ellie can't bring candy to school.

I do love writing sappy love letters to Tom.

I don't love not being able to spend my day with him.

I do love giving my kids heart-shaped boxes of chocolate because it reminds me of my own childhood.

I don't love making my daughter cry because I have to work and can't attend Muffins for Mom at her school.

I do love how excited she was about her hideously pink stuffed dog.

I don't love the sugar-high from all the chocolate my students consumed.

I do love all the chocolate consumed by me!

In which Ellie mistakes a headscarf for a blanket

We were sitting around the dinner table last night and Ellie was telling us about her day. She mentioned they had a substitute and then remarked that the sub wore a blanket on her head the whole time. Tom and I exchanged glances and I asked Ellie if she had said anything about it to the sub. To which Ellie replied, "Yes, I said, aren't you going to take that blanket off your head?"

Why is it always my daughter? But it did lead to an interesting discussion on different religions and always respecting the beliefs of others.

B.ound and G.agged Barbie

I walked into Ellie's room this past week and discovered this on her dresser:
I tried to get the scoop as to why Barbie was b.ound and g.agged, but Ellie just replied that her stories were secret. I relayed this to Tom later that night and he said that this is early-warning-sign type of behavior.

EDITED: You would be shocked at the keyword searches leading people to this post. I don't want those people reading my blog, hence the extra periods.