Here are some pictures of Braylee from Saturday (after the movie incident) when we decided to make cookies!

What a day!

Brecca came home from my moms this morning with a rash all over her body. It was bright red and really itchy so I decided to take her our to the ER and see what they said. She complained Thursday evening about having a sore throat but seemed fine on Friday. My cousin Monica was working in the ER when we got there so she took Brecca's temperature (99.8) and blood pressure (normal) and told us it would be awhile before the doctor could see us. Two hours later, the doctor came in and gave us a diagnosis - Strep Throat! She prescribed her some antibiotics and sent us on our way.

I got home just in time to take Braylee and Avrey to the movies. I had promised all three girls I would take them but since Brecca was sick, it ended up just being the two of them. Today was a special day and you could get in for a canned good. We waited in line and got up to the counter to get our tickets. The girls were trying to decide which candy they wanted when all of the sudden.... Avrey threw up all over the floor! I called Kenny (her dad) to come pick her up while Braylee and I waited patiently for him to get there. By the time he got there and we got back in line, there was only one ticket left for the movie we wanted to see. Braylee said she would sit on my lap, so we went ahead and gave them out canned good and got the ticket. When we got in the theatre, guess where the one available seat was??? Front and center. Front row, middle seat. Great for a concert or maybe a theatre production - but not for a children's movie in a crowded movie theatre. It took about 1 minute for Braylee to decide it was a little too much for her and we decided to call it a day! We ended up coming home and making Monster Cookies! It was a fun (and warm!) way to spend a cold afternoon!

Star Award

Ms. Methvin told me on Thursday that Brecca was getting a Star Award on Friday afternoon. It is an award for "exemplary performance above and beyond the ordinary at Chanute Elementary Schoo." It just so happened her best friend/cousin Avrey got one on the same day. They have a little ceremony and call their names and then they have to go up front and accept it. Brecca was suprised and said even though she saw us all there with our cameras she still didn't know it was going to be her. She was excited and said it was the first award she has ever gotten! We were very proud of her!

Does Anyone Recognize This Guy????

Don't pay any attention to the crib bumper and duct tape sticking out from under his coat!

Sandy Roecker asked Nate if he would be willing to be the Santa Claus for the Kindergarten classes this year. Nate said he would do it but we just weren't sure what to tell Brecca. She knows that there is one REAL Santa Claus and that he has helpers to help him around Christmas because the real Santa is just too busy at the North Pole to come down and visit all of the children who want to visit with him. We decided that we would tell Brecca before Daddy went to school that he was going to be one of his helpers this year. This is how the coversation went:

Nate: Brecca, Mommy and I have something important to tell you and it is a big secret just between the three of us, ok?

Lindsey: Well, you know how Santa is so busy at the North Pole that he sometimes asks helpers to help him out????

Nate: Like the Santa at Kam's program.....

Brecca: Yeah, he was fake. Me and Braylee and Kam and Larsen all knew he was fake. He was just too thin to be the real Santa.

Nate: Well, he wasn't actually fake. He was a helper. And Santa asked me to be a helper at your school tomorrow. Isn't that cool? But it is a big secret and you have to promise you won't tell any of your friends at school, OK?

Brecca: OK, but it really isn't just between the three of us because Rally and Max (our dog and cat) were in here too and they heard too.

OK, that went well! Actually, it did go pretty well though. She didn't tell anybody (although a few kids knew - Avrey and a couple of kids that Nate coaches in basketball) and she honestly still seemed a little shy on his lap. Nate is just sure he is going to catch something from having 140 kids on his lap so if he gets sick, he'll be blaming that. He heard a few interesting requests. One boy just wanted his sister to be quiet! And a couple of sad ones as well. One boy just wanted a Christmas tree and another wanted a bike for his little brother. Lots of Wii's this year. I think Nate enjoyed himself although I won't promise he'll volunteer his services again next year! I guess we'll see!

Wanted : Webkinz

Brecca made a list of the Webkinz she wants for Christmas. See if you can sound out all of the words????

OK, I'll help you out.

-Panda

-Reindeer

- Snowman

-Bear

-Lion

-Zebra

Christmas Trees, Gingerbread houses, and more!

Since I am officially finished student teaching, I had the chance today to go help Brecca's class do some Christmas projects! They were supposed to go to Ms. Methvin's house but since the weather is still not great, she decided to just do it at school today. They did Gingerbread houses, Christmas Trees, Reindeer, and Angels. They were all so cute and the kids all seemed to have a great time. It was neat to see Brecca in a little different setting. She was on her best behavior - I wish she would act like that at home. :)

I wonder why people like gum?

Tonight Brecca was chewing a piece of gum and asked me "Hey Mom, I wonder why people like gum?" I said, "Well, why do you like gum?" "Because of it's flavors," she answers. "And because it's chewy and I like chewy things." And then she just walks away. OK, where did that come from??? :)

After dinner tonight Nate told Brecca to do something and she told him no. He told her that she wasn't the one in charge. Braylee says, " But I know something Brecca IS in charge of?" I had a feeling I might know where this was headed. "Brecca is in charge of her eggs in her belly." I thought we were past that!