A huge Thank You to everyone who stopped by on my birthday and wished me a Happy Birthday here and on my Facebook page. You all ROCK and absolutely made my day extra special!
She loved it so much, she saved some of the snow in the freezer:
Instead of trying to build a snowman with the little bit of snow we had, she was building a Snow T-Rex and Pteranodon. Of course the dogs defeated the snow dinosaurs before I had a chance to get a picture of them, so now I’m hoping for some good snow soon so she can do a repeat performance.
Mother Nature teased us with some snow Tuesday night – making me think that I was going to have some great snow for my birthday. It was looking all winter-wonderland like before we went to bed, but sometime during the night, Mother Nature snickered evilly as she clicked the temperature up two degrees – just enough to turn the snow into rain for the rest of the night and halfway through the day on Wednesday. A cold, gray, slushy mushy day. Thanks Mother Nature.
Both are pretty much par for the course at home, too – getting her to get things done in a timely manner is quite the challenge. Like getting out of bed and getting ready for school in the morning, getting her homework done after school, or eating any of the three meals of the day. Excruciatingly slow. Because she’s a dreamer and easily distracted. Not sure where she gets that from. Wait – I see a sparkly unicorn over there…
Her inability to be organized she gets from her Dada. Between the two of them, it’s quite the challenge to keep things organized and neat and tidy. Once upon a time, before a husband and child, I had everything in their place and everything had a place. But since I’m outnumbered in that regard, I’ve thrown in the towel of tidiness and joined them in the race to see who can make the biggest mess. But of course I’m the one who ends up cleaning everything once again when I get tired of looking at the clutter.
I forgot to take my camera to take pictures of the Neighborhood set up with the 3D House Project, so I apologize for the cell phone images instead. But at least you can get an idea of what they looked like.
They were all set up on long tables end-to-end – Princess Nagger was walking down the length of them rattling off who did what house.
The boy that annoys her and the one that did his project wrong came up with this on his ‘re-do’:
That’s his with the paper covering it – he had drawn the floor plan of his house instead of building a 3D version of his house, so he was told to try again. His 3D project was still the floor plan of his house rather than his actual house. Princess Nagger was a bit tickled that he didn’t do it right, since he’s big on bossing everyone else around.
There were quite a few interesting ones, too – this one I especially loved the “fur sal” sign in the front:
Here’s Princess Nagger’s nicely snuggled in the neighborhood:
Everyone was very creative with their houses:
When I was in Wal*Mart last week, out of curiosity I went back to see their pre-lit trees set up. They have one of the ones we bought 5 years ago, and look how it was displayed:
Notice anything? Here, let me highlight it a little:
Only the bottom section of lights are lit! So apparently it must be a defect on that particular tree. I think instead of replacing our tree next year, we might switch back to a live tree so that Princess Nagger can enjoy the fun of a live tree with fresh pine scent. And sap and pokey needles. I don’t want to rob her of those memories, and if I have to string lights on our tree anyway, might as well do it live.
Speaking of Wal*Mart, I only had a few things to pick up, but more than allowed in the “20 Items or Less” line, so I took my place in line at another register. I noticed the lady in front of me was getting restless, so I took note of the cashier. She was a little old lady working the register. That in itself wasn’t the problem at all – the problem was that she was thoroughly examining every single item before she would scan it. Opening books and magazines and flipping through them. Then scanning them. One. Item. At. A. Time.
I realized this was going to be a terminal lane (like this post is becoming due to it’s never ending length), so I decided to move to another line, even though the new line had 3 people in front of me instead of just 2. The lady in front of me in the original line was stuck, because she had already unloaded the contents of her cart onto the belt waiting for the person on front of her to have all her items examined then scanned. I picked a much better line – I noticed when I was done and was passing by the first register, the lady who had been in front of me was still having her items slowly examined and scanned. She didn’t look happy.
Princess Nagger Conversation of the Week:
Me: “Me too. I hope we get some good snow this year.”
PN: “I got my Bubble Yum tin container and put some snow in it.”
Me: “You’re what and you did what?
PN: “My Bubble Yum tin container – I put snow in it.”
Me: “Oh, OK – uh, what what did you do with it?”
PN: “I put it in the freezer, silly! I figured I’d save it for later.”
Me (laughing): “Save it for what?”
PN: “Just so I could save it. The snow outside will melt, but I’ll still have some in my Bubble Yum container in the freezer because I love snow!”
Me: (laughing)
PN: “You can put that on your blog if you want, I don’t mind.”
And so I did.
- I’m happy that hubby scored some points with one out of two birthday gifts.
- I’m happy that Princess Nagger thoughtfully made me the best birthday card ever.
- I’m happy that Princess Nagger is doing very well in school, and actually really likes it again like she did in Kindergarten. After the rough start it’s so nice to send her to school with a smile instead of in tears.
- I’m happy that my Christmas Shopping is almost done so I can focus on the crafty gifts and maybe even get everything sent out before
ChristmasNew Year. Maybe. - I’m happy that Otin is very patient with my monopolized time and has been leading the charge on the Santa Letters blog…thanks so much, Otie!
If you’re just hanging out at home on Friday night (and blogging), feel free to join in on Ann’s Virtual Girl’s Night Out (boys are welcome, too!)
Don’t forget to visit Mrs. 4444 at Half Past Kissin’ Time for fun Friday Fragments, Otin’s and RxBambi’s respective blogs for Happy Hour Friday, and Ann Again and Again for VGNO.
Ok, so seriously your daughters house was by far the best…Im just saying;)
I'm so glad PN doesn't mind you sharing her cuteness with all of us! She's smart too. When I was little, we had a ridiculously tiny amount of snow here in North FL and I tried to save some too. Only mine was stored under my bed.
I'm with Steven PN's house is totally the best.
Let me know if you run out of snow I'll send you some.
Your house was totally the best one.
Your house blew the rest of them away!
Tara is organizationally challenged too, makes me crazy. I am not uber organized, but I usually know where my stuff is!
I remember making a snow ball years ago and keeping it in the freezer, I think we had it about 3 years!
Cashiers that look at everything make me NUTS. "Oh, this is neat, I didn't know we had that"….
Well, I need to go finish my FF. I was organized photos last night instead of blogging!
My older daughter did the shelter project (building a house) in 1st grade. I am hoping my current 1st grader doesn't have to do it. I don't like projects that require so much parental participation. I feel badly for the little boy who didn't do the project twice. All I could think was how other parents will probably criticize him and his parents.
I really love the whole house project. Very cool to see them all together!
That snow capture is beautiful!! It's really cold here for December, so maybe some will come our way.
I'd LOVE to go for a live tree, but Luke and I have terrible allergies so I think it would be a mistake…especially at Christmas. :o)
Have a wonderful weekend, Stacy!!
Do we live near to each other b/c we seem to have had the same weather recently. It's enough snow to get the kids all happy and to get my floor all messy, but not enough to cancel school or work and keep Hubby and #1 home to help play with the littles. What's the point of that?
oh i bet PN had a great time in the snow! my boys are still waiting! hoping for a white christmas!
That poor tree, it's got issues. hehehe I can't buy a real tree here, it's hard enough to keep the cat from sleeping in the one we have.
Saving snow hahaha you wouldn't see a canadian doing that, there' always a guarentee of more.
I just realized something, maybe that boy lived in an apartment? it was his "level?" that he made? if so that's pretty genius!
PN's offer for you to feel free to blog her cuteness cracked me up 🙂
We don't get snow here, but after experiencing his first hail storm my son wanted to collect some hail stones to show Dad when he got home. They were all too tiny and melted in the rain so quickly that there was nothing worth collecting.
I think it is so cool that your kid loves everything dinosaur!!! What a neat girl!
You be nice to that tree. Half lit or not, it needs love to. Cover the other half with sock monkey ornaments!!
Just an idea.
Hallie 😉
I get nervous immediately when a post begins with telling a Walmart story. There's so many of them out there, and they are all bad.
As for me, 28 minutes in the check out lane the other day.
I feel your pain, to that extent. But examining each item might have sent me over the top!!
Great idea with freezing the snow!
I have to say that PN's house was the best of the bunch from what I could see!
One out of two gifts…what was good and what was bad? Tomorrow they're taking you out for dinner, right? Yum!
That cracks me up that she saved some snow!
PN's shabby chic cottage mansion is sooooper dooper. As a teacher, I would feel crummy saying "the best", even if I think it. I picture the Walmart checker looking like the crusty little old lady on the shoebox greeting cards. I do like when I am not in a hurry and I have time to sit back and watch how people manage their feelings about that sort of "service". Great fragments. Enjoy your weekend
We have a checker at our Walmart who feels the need to comment on every single item he scans. Once, he told me that I got a good deal on the tampons. I don't go through his line anymore.
I love her "You can put that on the blog if you want!" Fantastic!
Those houses are adorable- what a great idea!
Happy belated birthday!
Fun random thoughts and things to be happy about. Love that your daughter saved some snow in a tin…very cute. Back when I did daycare out of my home, I used to fill a dozen icecream pails with snow and put in my freezer too. Then in July I would pull them out and we would have a snowball fight…the kids loved it and the snow felt so good! Happy Friday!
See? I told you PN's house was going to be the best and it was by far! WTG girl!
And how creative of her to think to put the snow in her tin and then in the freezer. That's so cute.
Yeah, I'd ditch the whole fake/prelit tree for next year. We're a live tree family and the kids love the whole experience of picking it out and such.
Justine 😮 )
After Christmas take the photo of the tree in the store display, and one of your tree, along with the tree back to the store and demand that they give you a gift card.
I'm wondering about "bully boy"'s home life. Sometimes kids are bullies because something is wrong at home. His project is showing that he's not getting any help. I just can't help wondering if that boy needs help.
Well hey, a belated very happy birthday to you!
Happy belated birthday!
I know you have to be objective about the "school neighborhood", but obviously you know Princess Nagger's house was far superior to all her classmates' efforts, right???
As for Wal-Mart– shame on them for still selling a defected tree! Have you asked them about a replacement or refund? Called the manufacturer?
~Elizabeth
http://confessionsfromaworkingmom.blogspot.com
Let me just tell you how much I love that PN loves dinosaurs! It's great.
Oh and Happy Belated Birthday, I hope your day was great.
Mother Nature rarely follows my requests either, she's a pain.
I think I would have had a FIT if I ever was going through a check out line and that situation occurred. Just scan my items and move on lady! (Although since you said she was elderly I most likely wouldn't have been able to be rude. Senior citizens tug tug on my heart strings.)
I hope you have a fantastic weekend!
Gosh I'm glad I didn't have to build a house like that when I was in school… I'd still be working on it to this day!
I love the house!
I also get a kick out of PN wanting to turn everything into a Dinosaur!
You went to WalMart? You are brave!
I have done no Christmas shopping.
You are welcome about the Santa thing! 🙂
Yay for real trees. Love the real tree, but next year I think we're going to buy a fake tree. We'll be out of town for more than a week and it's just not worth it.
Those houses are great. I especially love the entire landscape of the property. Very industrious.
PN cracks me up. I'm glad she approves of your blog! 🙂
I'm glad that t he teacher seemed more comfortable! And Princess' house was by far the best.
And how crazy for that tree!
We don't get snow here. Last winter my niece in Massachusetts saved my kids a snowball for when they came to visit in the summer :).
Haha! So you have Princess Nagger's permission now to put the snow preservation thing in this blog…Haha. She's really cool.
She is such a cool kid. Wouldn't it be fun if she had a snowball fight (it would be a very short fight) sometime this July?
I swear that we are raising twins! The Little One got the exact same assessment … doesn't finish his assignments in a timely way because of daydreaming or socializing and he is a bit messy! FREAKY!
I love that you called him Otie. Seriously that makes my day whenever I see it on someone elses blog.
PN's house is amazing, fyi.
Happy Friday!
It's easy to see that kids, like houses, come in all different varieties. I still think that was a crazy assignment for 1st graders, but what do I know?
Loved the conversation with PN and how she gave blogging consent–so cute.
I'm going to try to find an on-sale pre-lit tree at the end of the season. Hopefully, Mr.4444 won't notice next year and I'll get away with it.
I'm guessing you've got some more snow now? All the more to make dinosaurs with, right? 🙂
Have a great weekend…Thanks for playing this week.
Princess is so cute with her snow!
I was getting errors on some blogger blogs this week- must've been a glitchy day all around!
Looks like all the kids got a nice neighborhood together!
I am just a tad bit jealous of your snow … even in a gum tin in your freezer. Great post!
Your fault – I read what you said about people having trouble with blogger and I thought "I haven't had a lick of trouble" and when I went to click Post a Comment it came up as an error message. LOL
I can hardly believe all of the cool houses in the neighborhood. The story of the floor plan is a hoot.
I want a bubble yum tin of snow in my freezer 🙂
I love that she was making snow dinosaurs!! Very creative!
Wow – her house really stands out! Great job. What a neat idea it was to build a neighborhood!
It's nice to hear that WordPress isn't perfect.
I love that PN saved some snow in the freezer. You never know when you might need it.