then and now

Then

Now

Overheard

"Dad, what happens to the clouds at night?"

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"Dad, there are plants in this Biology book! Hahahaha isn't that funny?!"
"Jules, that's because Biology is the study of living things."
"It is?"
"Yep, it is."
"Ohhhhhhhhh"

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Jonathan on the results of our recent Bath and Body Works shopping trip:
"It smells like a pina colada in here."

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The kids were having a conversation about how to make a baby and Jules told Josh that the girl has to have an egg. Josh's response: "But I wanted to hatch an egg."

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And this one's my favorite... sort of reminds me of the time Julianna blamed her mess on the Pilot Paula Fischer Price Little People figure....

"Jane, who got the marbles out?"
"Josh did it."

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questions

I ask my kids these questions every year on (or near) their birthday. These were Julianna's answers last year when she turned eight.

1. What is your favorite color? yellow

2. What is your favorite toy? kitten

3. What is your favorite fruit? kiwi

4. What is your favorite tv show? pokemon

5. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? jam sandwich

6. What is your favorite outfit? green satin dress

7. What is your favorite game? monopoly

8. What is your favorite snack? oreos

9. What is your favorite animal? cheetah

10. What is your favorite song? Call Me Maybe

11. What is your favorite book? Pokemon Adventures in Unva

12. Who is your best friend? Emilee

13. What is your favorite cereal? Cinnamon Toast Crunch

14. What is your favorite thing to do outside? shoot bow & arrow

15. What is your favorite drink? Cheerwine

16. What is your favorite holiday? Christmas

17. What do you like to take to bed with you at night? Harry Potter

18. What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? jam sandwich

19. What do you want for dinner on your birthday? Fire and Sticks

20. What do you want to be when you grow up? vet for dogs

Here's her answers this year as she turns nine.

1. What is your favorite color? Turquoise

2. What is your favorite toy? Tablet

3. What is your favorite fruit? Pomegranate seeds

4. What is your favorite tv show? The Thundermans

5. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? Steak

6. What is your favorite outfit? Green Christmas dress

7. What is your favorite game? Mario Kart 7

8. What is your favorite snack? Nabs

9. What is your favorite animal? Cheetah

10. What is your favorite song? Blank Space

11. What is your favorite book? The Lost Hero

12. Who is your best friend? Avery B

13. What is your favorite cereal? Cookie Crisp

14. What is your favorite thing to do outside? Read

15. What is your favorite drink? Cheerwine

16. What is your favorite holiday? Christmas

17. What do you like to take to bed with you at night? Pillow, book

18. What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? Eggos
19. What do you want for dinner on your birthday? Fire and Sticks

20. What do you want to be when you grow up? Teacher

nine

Nine.
Nine is eye rolling.
Nine likes to wear make-up.
Nine makes choices that get her grounded from electronics every once in a while.
Nine says, "Eh" a lot.
Nine loves to read big books.
Nine no longer eats kids meals. Ever.
Nine doesn't like the teeny tiny gap in between her front two teeth.
Nine is pretty good at multiplication.
Nine is already aware of exactly how much sleep she needs and when to go to bed even without parents telling her to.
Nine is learning piano.
Nine doesn't interrupt.
Nine loves to wrestle with her brother but still helps him on occasion.
Nine is memorizing scripture.
Nine loves Hershey bars and pomegranate seeds and tacos.
Nine is good at the monkey bars and can easily run two miles straight.
Nine wants contacts and a cell phone.
Nine makes being a Mama easy.
Nine has my heart.

nine year old birthday party {+ giveaway winner}

For Julianna's birthday this year we invited a few of her closest friends to spend the day with us. We did exactly what Julianna wanted to do (well, with the exception of ziplining... but that can wait for another time).

We went ice skating,

picked out treats at a local bakery,

and ate dinner at a Japanese steakhouse.

I think my Doodlebug had a pretty good birthday celebration and I think these were fun activities for nine year old girl's. Julianna's actual birthday isn't another week or so and we'll celebrate with family then.

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Congratulations to the giveaway winner in this contest. Suzanne B, I hope you enjoy your copy of the book!

teen things + giveaway

As a middle school teacher, I am all too familiar with the struggles teen girls face everyday. Ladies, do you remember what it was like to want to wear a top that your Mama took one look at and declared, "Absolutely not!"  Do you remember how you felt when your best friend made a hurtful comment about your friendship and all you wanted to do was retaliate by trying to make everyone in the whole school see how stuck up she acts? Do you remember thinking about nothing else other than how you look?

I remember those feelings all too well and with an almost nine year old daughter I'm afraid I'm getting close to reliving those feelings all over again. That's why I was so excited to read 10 Things for Teen Girls by Kate Conner. In each chapter of the book she lays out one topic that young girls today struggle with and she breaks it down to what's really at the heart of the matter. She quotes scripture but doesn't force it down your throat and she leaves you with a truth. The end of each chapter offers journaling or discussion questions which makes it a great book for a group or for a gift for a girl you know.

I picked up this book and read it in a couple of days. It wouldn't be a long, tedious read for a young girl so you won't get an eye roll (especially 'cause there's adorable stick figure drawings all throughout the book). The author's got a great sense of humor and she shoots straight from the hip, but not in an offensive way. I think her writing style is one that will resonate well with teenagers and I highly recommend the book for anyone who has a teen daughter or works with one.

And now for the fun part! Family Christian has generously provided a copy of the book for one of you. The giveaway is limited to the US and a winner will be chosen Thursday night. You can enter below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I was not compensated for this post but was provided a copy of the book. The views expressed above are simply my own opinions.