Ladybug, Ladybug, Get Out of My Home

Every other month our pest guy comes by, sprays the yard and outhouses, and then asks if we've had any problems inside. Generally, I shoo him away with a thank you. Next time, though, I'll have to ask for assistance inside. The girls found a ladybug in Irene's room, which absolutely thrilled them. It was as if they had seen a rainbow. I, however, tucked the incident away in my heart. After two more finds, I admit I am worried (and regretting the gift of a container of live ladybugs I gave to Irene for Easter last year). After having lived through more than one home infestation in my life I know as well as anyone that ladybugs are filthy pests deserving nothing less than mass elimination. Next time the bugman comes around, I'm sending him after the little devils.

Awww, isn't that so sweet and benign?

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Have to be sure not to harm the little thing... hold the dear ever so carefully

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Going to put it outside, where it belongs

To Grandma's House We Go

Grandma and Aunt B both have January birthdays, so we always get to enjoy a birthday weekend with them. Irene has long known what fun it is to go to Pasa-get-down-dena; Mary is catching up to speed.


It means a lot to her having her own special toys at Grandma's.


You might think Irene is eating cake. She's not; she's eating icing.
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While getting ready to go Mary kept saying, "We going to see Grandma?"

"And G.G.?"

"And Aunt Bawbra?"

"And Tuna?"

"And Cracker?"

She didn't think to ask about Dawn and Jarrod, but I think she will next time.

And these dog toys, whom she cared for, cuddled, and finally tucked in for a nap.

Badge Hound

American Heritage Girls held an awards ceremony. Irene finally got her hands on the fruits of her labor - six badges and a martial arts pin. She and her pal were the only first graders who earned badges outside of class time. Of course this points to great things in her future. I kind of missed the ceremony as I was having day dreams of Irene the Total Success tracing it back to her mother's magnanimous and wise help during her days of earning AHG badges. Yup.

Shuffling on stage

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That's her pin; it represents a lot of sweat.

Mary's safe place

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Irene got to play Musical Chairs for the first time. Irene hates Musical Chairs.

But she loves her pals.

A Charmed Life

Not long ago, Irene said to me, "You promised me that you would take me ice skating someday and that time is finally here." While I imagine that I would have, left to my own devices, someday taken her ice skating, I will not pretend that I wasn't thrilled when she was invited to an ice skate birthday party. That was an instant "accept" on e-vite!

One of her favorite partners in crime was also invited; here they are freshly booted up - about 15 seconds after this picture was taken they both had to go potty.

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Her emotions became a bit mixed as she approached the moment of truth.

See those two purple dots in the distance? That's the girls doing the wall crawl. Now, I wasn't so cruel as to send them out alone on their first round. No, being the good sport that I am, I booted up and inched my way along the wall with them. We had made it about as far as they are in this picture when it was time to clear the rink for the Zamboni. Apparently, customers are expected to do this in a somewhat timely fashion. I sent them out alone for the second round as I never again want to be skated across the rink by a teenage mall worker in front of a packed house. Not ever.

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After I packed the camera, Irene amazed me - by going out on the ice and skating. She did well, even skating backwards. I'm glad she didn't let shame hold her back like I let it hold me back.