Snip, Snip, Chop

I'm always complaining about Charlee's hair...things getting caught in it and it getting really tangled, etc.
So, I finally decided I was going to cut it. I was planning on getting a professional to do the cutting, but after a long day of church basketball (in which my YW took second...I keep kicking myself, wondering if I could have done something different...I'm still a little irritated) I didn't feel like going out. SO...I decided to give it a try myself.
This is how long Charlee's hair was before cutting it:

Charlee's hair grows really fast, and I thought that taking 4 inches off wouldn't be that big of a deal. I cut it to the desired length and thought it looked pretty good...then I started cutting Sydnee's hair...Well, while I was cutting Sydnee's, Charlee was cutting Charlee's hair...apparently she didn't think I did a good enough job.
You can see the shorter pieces all throughout her hair:


So...I ended up having to cut it all shorter:

Overall I took off about 7 inches of length...plus I think I will be taking her into a salon...it was hard to go this short and keep it straight. Charlee's hair has not been this short since before she was 18 months old. I'm not sure how I feel about it.

I will add more pics tomorrow after I fix her hair...plus I need to add pics of Sydnee's cut.

A Very Worthwhile Show

I have been watching ABC's Primetime: What Would YOU do? and I have to say that I can't believe how much it has effected me. I have been everything from outraged to saddened to extremely touched by people's compassion. If you haven't seen it, I think it is well worth your time to look into it. I truly think it will change you and how you would react to situations in life.

This show is a hidden camera show of a different kind...it shows people being picked on or mistreated (there are other scenarios as well) all for the purpose of finding out how strangers will react. I like to think that I am a person who stands up for what I believe in, and I hope that I would do the right thing if I ever witnessed any of the things that happen on the show....I think I would have done the right thing in most cases before watching the show, but I know I would now.

So many people look the other way, but it gives me great hope when you see the extraordinary people stop and take action for the good.

Here is a link to a small clip of one of the shows: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dvzj8wyZ9PI

Justee's Birthday

Justee had a great birthday...It was extra special because Justin got to join us on web cam. It was so nice to have him "here" with us.

We set up our little party in the office so that Justin could see everything.

Justee got a lot of great presents...Dress up clothes and stickers from Grandma and Grandpa Hyde, a card from Thompsons, a Love Dollar from Great Grandma and Grandpa Putnam, a little doggy from Syd, a phone from Charlee, a pig that shakes, and a Dora ball pit. Thank you everyone!

Mom and the Birthday Girl:

Justee needed a little help getting her second candle to go out.

Eating the fish cake:

Justee loves her ball pit...but I don't know what I was thinking....there are balls everywhere. ;)

Here is a couple pics of Justee talking to her Dad...She was blowing him kisses and telling him goodbye.

Justee had had enough with the picture taking...she didn't want me to take anymore, but I wanted to show Grandma what she did with the stickers she got...


Justee in her Snow White dress up stuff:

Justee is acting just like a two year old is supposed to act...She is very good at throwing fits...she has at least 3 breakdowns a day. She is very moody and it seems like she is either very happy or very mad. She can be really sweet when she wants to be, and she gives GREAT hugs. She loves to sing and is singing songs she knows and songs she just makes up all the time. Some of her favorites are Jesus Wants me for a Sunbeam (or Sunbeep according to her), and ABC's. She loves to take her diaper off and run around in the buff. She is in the "watch me" phase...she is always doing some trick like jumping off of something or somersaulting and yelling, "Watch me Mommy!" Justee is always playing with my hair...it tends to drive me crazy, but she thinks it belongs to her (just like Sydnee did for her first 4 years of life.) She even holds it in her hand and kisses it. weird, I know...it definitely is her security blanket.

Ever since Justin has been gone, Justee has started crying when I leave her with a babysitter...she used to just say bye, and be fine...I think she has become more attached to me now that I am the only parent around.

Justee is a lot of fun, she makes me laugh everyday...she makes me crazy everyday too, but overall she is worth it. We all love her very much.

Terrible Twos

Justee turns 2 today...and I can't believe how grown up she looks all of a sudden.

We are having Justee's party shortly, and I will have lots more pics, but I thought it would be fun to do some of just her and her fish cake. I had a hard time deciding what to do for her cake this year, but then I thought this fish would be fun. Justee has been saying, "My fish cake!" all day.

It wasn't long before Justee wanted to taste her fish...she started eating a fin, and was not happy when I took it away and told her she had to wait until later to eat any more.

Night with My Girls

Sometimes I start to feel guilty...like I don't spend enough "quality" time with my girls (heaven knows I spend A LOT of time with them, just not quality time.) So yesterday I decided we would have some nice girl-time. After taking Syd and Charlee shopping for Justee's bday presents, (Cherelle watched Justee for me) the four of us spent the evening watching movies and painting toenails...It was a nice relaxing night at home.

Sydnee has started to realize what her dad is doing a little more with time...I think they have talked about war at school a little bit...during parent/teacher conferences her teacher asked me if Justin was going to Iraq. I was a little irritated because I told her teacher before the school year even started what our situation was, and I have talked to her about it on another occasion...I guess when you have 20 students it is had to keep everything straight, but I thought this would be something you would remember...anyway I'm getting off point... Syd's teacher said Sydnee told the class that her dad was going to pick hurt people up in the war. So she wanted to clarify what Syd meant.

Then on Sat., we got home and turned the tv on...it was the news, and it just happened to say that "at least 20 people were killed in Afghanistan today..." That is all Syd needed to hear...She came running into the kitchen to me and said, "Mom! Did you hear that??? Twenty people were killed in Afghanistan! Who were they?" I explained that I didn't know who they were, but we know Daddy is ok because we just talked to him. She gave me a big hug and said, "I really want Daddy to come home. I miss him....I miss wrestling with him."

Here are some pics from our night of "quality" time.

Charlee could not look at the camera and smile at the same time...she was much more into the movie than taking pictures...Syd and I kept laughing at the faces Chuck was making.
Justee was sleeping when we were taking pics, so she didn't get to be part of that fun...I decided to add a few of her so she wouldn't get completely left out.

Wal-Mart Weirdo

There have been 3 times in the past 2 months that I have had the exact same conversation with an old man in Wally World. This is how the conversation goes with my fellow shopper:

Man: "Those are some pretty girls you got there.
Me: "Thank you."
Man: "Did you get them off the shelf back there? I think they are having a buy one get one free sale."
(I only had Chuck and Justee with me because Syd was in school every time.)
Me: "Yep, they looked like a good deal."
Man: "It looks like you got yourself some keepers. Just hold on to your receipt."
Me: {fake, friendly, laugh}
Man: "Because in about 15 years, they are going to be getting drivers licenses."
Me: "That is true. I'll hang on to it." I try to start walking away, but he is not done yet...
Man: "Plus it will only be a few years before they start chasing the boys in the neighborhood."
Me: "Yeah, I hope that doesn't happen."
Man: "It will, and you'll want your receipt."
As I walk away, I thank him for the advice and say good bye.

Now, it wouldn't be so weird if I had only had this conversation once...but THREE times, that is a little weird. This man seems like just a nice old man that likes to talk to people while he does his shopping; but boy, you'd think he'd get tired of the same line. He must stop tons of moms in the store...that is why he can't remember that he has had this conversation with me two times before.
I really hope there isn't a fourth time...If there is, I think I am going to do his parts for him - Like when he asks if I got the girls off the shelf, I am going to say, "Yes, they were having a 2-for-1 sale." and then if he says, "You better hang on to the receipt." I'm going to say, "Yeah, because pretty soon they are going to get a license and start chasing boys, and then I'll want to return them."

You Can Call Him Captain

Justin just told me the news...He has been promoted!

The state has recognized his promotion but it will take a few weeks for the federal level to recognize it...that is when he will have his ceremony and everything. There will be more on this in the future.

I'm very proud of my Captain.

Play Day

Since Sydnee didn't have school yesterday (or today) we decided to go swimming, and the girls had a blast.

Justee went up and down this slide over and over. She loved playing with this ball, and held onto it most of the time. She was pretty brave and kept going to the deeper parts and tried to float with the ball...She had a few falls under the water, but it didn't stop her.

Charlee liked pulling on these ropes to make water drop down. She loved the slide too...the little one anyway...there were two bigger ones that she could go down with me. She was really excited and asked me to take her down one, but as soon as we got to the top and she saw the dark tunnel with water rushing down it, she quickly turned around and headed down the stairs. I asked her is she was going to go down and she said, "No, I want to go play." I tried to talk her into it by saying I would be holding her the whole time, but she insisted that she just wanted to go play.

Sydnee had a lot of fun too, she liked swimming for rings and picking them up. She went down the big tunnel slide by herself (the one Charlee refused) but once was enough for her...she wouldn't do it again.

We had a lot of fun, and I'm so glad we got to go....we will definitely have to go again sometime.