New Chapter: Crazed Mom of Student Driver

  Just kidding. Sort of. I was mostly calm. Only Elizabeth said, "Kathud!"  Of course, Elizabeth also got banned from being allowed to speak for the rest of the drive after several outbursts. I can't say I blame her and I wouldn't have wanted to be in the back seat. And did you know that you can't see anything from the passenger seat of a Toyota Sienna van?  Why are their not review mirrors on that side for backseat drivers???

   Randomness over....Anne Michal got her permit today.  With all the forms to fill out and proofs of this that and the other, you'd think we now would have top national security clearance! It is crazy! She had already done some parking lot driving (shhh! Don't tell) so I bravely let her drive a bit in the neighborhood.  She didn't do too badly.  The wrong side of the road once(It was an honest mistake..sort of), a few almost curb incidences, and a jerky start but she caught the hang of it pretty quickly; a first day sort of hang of it. I have to say that 15 miles an hour seems like speeding when it is your firstborn behind the wheel.  I wish I had a dollar for every time I said slow down!

  In seriousness, I have such a love/hate relationship with the growing up process. She seemed old when she was 9 and fast approaching those double digits.

 

But I have also loved watching her grow up, and how she looks forward to each new thing. She makes me really proud how she works hard, serves others, strives for independence and embraces responsibility. Driving is just another step along that path for her and my path of letting go!            

A few pictures for documentation and perhaps good practice for in 10 years, we will have to provide all sorts of multimedia documentation to go along with our R2D2-OB1's.  OK Just kidding.         

  We started out in the pool parking lot and made a few circles around some of the wider streets and short cul-de-sacs with no parked cars!!! 

 Putting it in gear. (Photo courtesy backseat "kathudder.")

      When I got back in to drive it up our street and park in the drive, my knees were in the steering wheel and the mirrors were a mess!  Love my shortie!

Just the Ordinary

 This has been our life; just ordinary which is really extraordinary because that is where daily joy is found.

 

 Elizabeth has been french braiding Janey Kate's hair.  I can't figure out how she gets her to sit still that long.

 My new vinyl I cut for my van.  I find it way more hilarious than the rest of the family.

 Pretending to nap on my closet shelves. Creed was pretty certain he could sleep there all night.

 Jack and Emma both learned to make bread.

 I wish I had captured the joy on his face when he grinned sheepishly and said, "I sure had fun!"

 She loves to brush her teeth or to have them brushed.

 Thanks to pinterest we discovered the joys of an "under the table" hammock.

 I made a new dress for Janey Kate and it may be my new favorite pattern. She was tired and messing with her ear is a comfort thing for her.  That is her favorite purple paci.  It is really going to have to disappear...soon...

 Elizabeth strikes again as either the world's most creative 13 yr old or the greatest schoolwork procrastinator...or both.  I left to run a couple of errands and I came home to a fort made out of a drying rack full of fun details.

 A place for JK's baby on the side.

 Storage buckets hung with pipe cleaners.

The lucky younger siblings.
http://www.made-by-rae.com/2012/12/geranium-dress-sewing-pattern-is-here/
and Creed is learning to ride a two wheeler.

   We are spending a few days in Jackson, MS this week and took the kids (minus Elizabeth who has been sick) to Friendship Park in Madison.  We used to go their frequently when Anne Michal and Elizabeth were babies and toddlers.  It was a fun walk down memory lane.

 When Anne Michal wasn't much older than Janey Kate, we came to the park one Friday and she started to play as usual, but she got about where she is standing in this picture and looked down through the holes in the play structure and froze.  She screamed and hollered until we picked her up and refused to move a muscle.  She was terrified she was going to fall.  It took a number of trips back to the park before she got over her fear.

   Emma on the fun tire swing.

 Janey Kate has no fear.

 At the top...

 Getting tickled

 I believe I can fly...

 Another act of bravery...

 Don't be fooled. That is not Dad; it is Bob, the hairy monster.

 Bob, the hairy monster, sneaking up on a couple of boys.

 She played and played and played.

 A "who can swing the highest" contest.

 Snack time...his favorite!

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Janey Kate Turns Two

   We are so incredibly thankful for our Mallory Jane Katharine!  She brings much joy and fun to our house.  I am sure she is a bit spoiled as everyone vies for her attention.  She is zany and full of energy.  She is stringing some words together in sentences and loves to be read to and sing songs. Outside is her favorite place to be and loves to go for wagon rides.  Here are some pictures from her special day!

 Eating a chik-fil-a lunch with her big brother.

Showing off the spin of her birthday dress!

opening presents

 Apparently it takes great strength and concentration.

 She got the same thing as last year...a doll stroller. She wore the other one out with the bazillion trips it took around the house!

 With her cake...homemade strawberry with homemade strawberry icing (the o-fficial anderson icing #2)

Then we started to sing and she wasn't so sure...

 and I guess we sound kind of scary when singing" Happy Bithday" or maybe just really loud!

She got over it and everyone blew out candles together.

Yum! Cake!