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Author Archives: Jen

I got a red dress, y’all.

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So about a month or so ago, I queried my Facebook friends to see if my favorite red ball gown could be altered…and pretty much everyone said no way, just buy a new dress, there’s no way to easily alter a size 24 into a 10/12. Fine. So I went shopping at David’s Bridal and crossed my fingers as I looked through the Clearance rack.

So they only had three dresses in my size(s): a red size 10, an identical black size 12, and a different style navy size 12. I was sure the 10 wouldn’t fit so started with the black one. It fit well enough but I felt there was enough wiggle room that I should at least TRY the size 10 (plus it was the only red one so why not?). And amazingly it fit…but it was literally 1/2″ too small across the back and was quite tight so I was sad. So I had to decide if I wanted the black dress (I’d never had a black dress!) or keep looking for a red one… Black is classic, but red is what I wanted.

They looked at other stores and told me the next closest store had the dress in red in a 12…GRRR. So I did what I do when I have a clothes question…I talked to my clothes buddy, Sheryl. She convinced me I should go get the red dress. So I went while Katie was at school. 🙂

They had a 10 so I tried it on again, just in case. And it was still tight, but they got it zipped fine. I was thinking I could actually live with it…until I noticed that the chest/back tightness made my armpit/boob fat squinch weird so I would have to get the 12. But, then I decided that since I was there and had the time I wanted to try on some VA VA VOOM dresses just to see what there was and if anything worked.

This red dress was not a winner.

This one was tempting, but I didn’t love it enough for the $229 price tag.

So I did end up getting the red dress…which I will post when we go to the ball! (Of course, after the fact I showed Tom both dresses and he said he liked the black one better. GRRRR!)

Katie’s pumpkin field trip

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Of course, we just went to Burke Pumpkin Playground and that’s where Katie’s class took their field trip. I was really torn—the mommy blogger part of me felt I had to go but the actual mommy part of me said We were just there and this would be an extra half day for her to be at school… A friend was going so she promised to take a few pics for me…so that lessened the guilt.

Heading into school.

She had a blast!

A visit to Owen’s classroom.

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Since I had to take Katie in for her field trip in the morning, I also took Owen. Since we still had some time before school started (and kids can’t be in the classrooms without a teacher or parent), I stayed in his room with him. I took the time to look around and take some more room pictures.

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Owen wanted me to see if I could pick out his drawing without looking for his name.

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I guessed it on my second try! My first guess was the bottom row, second picture (white) and his response was “Mom, it’s missing arms. I never forget the arms.” 🙂 It’s him helping Katie (notice the yellow pony tails?).

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Two panoramics of his classroom.

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The weekly reading chart. It’s so complex it needs a key!

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This is the original chart.

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Just a few glue sticks. 🙂

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These signs are in the hallways and stairwells.

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Owen might be on a swim team!

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Before Owen’s lesson, his instructor came and told us he was going to be testing Owen to see how he’d do on a swim team. He’s trying to get a local team together and he thought Owen was ready. As far as Owen knew, he was just practicing. 🙂

After, the instructor told us he thought he was definitely ready…so he’ll let us know if and when he gets a team together. (They have a team right now but it’s 30-45 minutes away from home so we’re not about to do that.)

We told Owen the news on the way home and his was his reaction:

 

Kidisms 33

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Katie: Mom! Look! This is like Owen!


(I’m surprised she remembered that picture—it was months ago.)

Katie: And Uncle Rob has earrings. And pirates have earrings.
Me: Is Uncle Rob a pirate?
Katie: Yes! And he probably has a pirate costume, too.

Tom: You’ll always be Katie’s big brother.
Owen: Of course.

My first trip to DC with the family!

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The deal was they were Pokémoning and I was taking pictures!

Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial

Washington Monument

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World War II Memorial

Back at MLK.

Walking to the Jefferson Memorial.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial

Eleanor Roosevelt at the FDR Memorial

A long line of ducks.

At Katie’s castle, otherwise known as the Jefferson Memorial!

We stopped to take over a gym!

Cold and windy soccer morning

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This morning was a horrible morning weather-wise for soccer—it looked gorgeous but the wind was gusting at probably 20-30mph and with temps in the high 40s/low 50s it was cold. I felt so bad for all the kids…but they didn’t really seem to be bothered too much by it. However, I had on a 32° undershirt, a heavy sweatshirt, my winter coat, gloves, and was covered in TWO blankets…and was still freezing. It was even so cold my phone’s battery died so I only got a few pics. 

   
 

Katie’s first day of pre-k, year 2!

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Of course, she hasn’t been sick in AGES, so the night before her first day she started to get a runny nose and cough. It might be allergies but who knows. She didn’t have a temp, though, so it was off to school!

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And daddy hugs since he came home early!

This year she is going two days a week. We had thought it would be three days a week again, but apparently the classes are a bit bigger this year so they don’t have as much room for peer models (?) but they know we’re ready and willing to go to three (or four! or five!) days if they need her!