But I thought you said...

Me:  Look, you have a butterfly on your pants.  Isn't it so cute?
Rachel: No, I didn't toot.

Me: Ella, what shoes do you want to wear to kindergarten today?
Ella: I hate wearing shoes.
Me: I know, but you have to wear them to school.  Do you want your flip flops?
Ella: (Crying now) No, I don't want to wear tennis shoes.
Me:  I said do you want your flip flops...
Ella: (still crying) No I HAVE to wear tennis shoes every day to school.
Me:  No, only on gym week, it's not gym week.  Get your flip flops, you can wear those.
[I go upstairs, change Mckinley, put on deodorant, come back down]
Me:  Ella, where are your shoes?  We need to go.
Ella: (crying) But I want to wear my tennis shoes! (sob sob sob)
Me: [exasperated by this time] Well, then go get some socks.  Why are you crying?
Ella: (sobbing)  You hurt my feelings when you said that. (sob sob sob)

Oh, for crying out loud.  Literally.  :) Ella is very emotional these days, maybe kindergarten is taking a toll on her.  We eventually did get out the door with tennis shoes on and everything. Whew. :)

Plenty to do around here.  Our backyard needed (and still needs) major work.  So far...
BEFORE:

AFTER (4 tons of squeegee carried down 8 steps by wheelbarrow):

One project done, check!

Rachel has transitioned into a big bed (bottom bunk):

...and has only fallen out once.  Yay!  We also tried round one of potty training.  Results: Rachel wins.  Back to diapers for a couple of days.  I can only clean up pee so many times before I decide I don't have time to potty train right now.  But she's getting the idea; this morning she got up and went pee in the potty even though she was wearing a diaper from the nighttime.  She really wanted the reward of three mini "smashmallows."  It'll come soon enough!

We are so, so sad to say goodbye to the Allens who are moving to Montana.  I secretly hoped they would stay relatively close by forever.  But everything changes, doesn't it?  We feel fortunate to have so many good memories to keep with us.  We wish them the very, very best!


All is well.  We are getting settled, and like our new  house, and are enjoying sunny days and cooler evenings. People here are very friendly and the kids have made some buddies already and are doing well.   Yay!