Confidence

As I mentioned when we visited the Indian Caverns, part of the goal of Girl Scouts is to improve confidence in girls, to help them to try things they would not have otherwise tried and then experience success. This week we took our first grade girls to the rock wall at the rec center. We asked them ahead of time if they would like to try it. A few girls were hesitant, but when we took a "secret ballot," they voted unanimously  "yes."

I was so proud of all the girls!! They all climbed. They all improved. By the end, none of them were scared. They were all proud of their accomplishment and having a good time. They cheered for each other, encouraged one another. And several of the girls asked their parents as they left, "Can we come back tomorrow, pleeeeeaassseeee????"

Actually, the girl who climbed the highest of all of them? She was one of the hesitant ones, and her mom said that right up to the minute before they arrived, she wasn't sure that she was going to try. So it's a good feeling to be a part of something like that.

I was proud of Katy, too, but for a different reason. She had been to the wall before, and although she has many fears and anxieties, climbing isn't one of them. However, she's so very competitive. And I was completely shocked that she wasn't a bucket of tears that she didn't climb the highest. She never once mentioned trying to do better than another girl, and she cheered for her friends and tried to improve on her own height each time. Progress!!



Katy is in the black pants. Don't they look so tiny up on that wall?

Super fun, super exhausting...

In what is becoming an annual tradition, my Dad and Sue were here today watching the kids so that Brian and I could go Christmas shopping. I look forward to this day, because it's a nice change of pace, I love shopping (especially on a weekday), and it's like a really long date for Brian and I.

We had fun, found a lot of good deals, and are finished with our kids and some other family members. I kept needing to take breaks off of my feet, including once when I sat down next to an elderly gentleman at the mall and waited for Brian while he went into a store for quite some time. He and I sat there, in silence, resting our feet and watching the people go by, impressed by their energy. I don't know if he was chuckling about it to himself, but I was.

The other part that was fun this year was that my Dad and Sue were here on a school day, so they had to do pickups for both Katy and David. I gave very detailed instructions (it's not hard, but if you've never been to the school before, don't know the procedure, etc), and for the most part things went smoothly. But I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall when my dad went to the wrong preschool classroom, and to see David's face light up with excitement to ride in Grandpa's truck, and to see all the kids in front of Katy's school petting their dog Scout. Luke was along for the ride, and when I got home he gave me a big hug and said, "Mommy shopping." So I wonder how many times he asked where I had gone.

It was a good day. How does it feel like full fledged Christmas and it's not even December?

Lights!!

My kids have no idea how spoiled they are to have such a fun Daddy. I would never go to this much effort! Lights in their bedroom!?!?

Luke's annual ornament selection. He insisted on playing with it and broke Buzz's arm off within an hour. It was one of 3 items that needed superglue after we decorated.

Katy's selection. She gives us an update on the countdown every once in awhile.

Should I be worried now or wait 12 years? David picked a Harley. Picturing my son on a motorcycle makes me short of breath.