"Eye on the prize, Violet. Eye on the prize..."

I confess: I am a pageant mom.
Ok, not really, but I was last weekend.

Reese was asked to participate in the Miss Bentonville High School Pageant as a "Future Miss" escort for Hannah Gibson (a senior at BHS).

This pageant was not for the faint of heart.
It was the real deal and the contestants were in it to win that $1500 scholarship.

Refusing to spend a dime (thanks for the guilt trip, Dave Ramsey, I will thank you again when my house is paid off ahead of schedule.) on a pageant dress, I helped Reese choose a "gown" from her closet. She wore her favorite church dress. I curled her hair, let her wear some lip gloss, painted her nails, and called it good.
I was happy to see that my friend, Jeddi, had reasonable dresses on her daughters as well.
Here is Reese with her friends, Megan and Hannah who were also Future Misses for pageant contestants. Reese was the ONLY future miss with no make up on.

Wholy-moly there was some seriously hard core Toddlers and Tiaras going on in the future miss dressing room. Big hair, white gloves, expensive satin gowns, heels, eyelashes, and a lot of make up.

These. girls. are. 6. Crazytown.

Don't even get me started on the mothers. Wowza.

Reese spent the week after the dress rehearsal practicing her "hand the flower, curtsey, kiss, and wave, then walk across the stage".
In that order. Or the pageant director will give you the ugly stare.

There were 20 girls that made it past the interviews and preliminary rounds (BHS is a very big school). Reese's Hannah was Contestant #9 (third from the left).

When it was Hannah's turn, Reese joined her on stage. Instead of a curtsey, kiss, and wave, then joining the reigning 2010 Miss BHS across the stage, Reese handed Hannah her rose, then stood there hugging and clinging to Hannah's satiny gown while her little bio was read:

"Hannah's Future Miss, this evening, is Reese Willardson. Reese is 6 years old and is the daughter of Aaron and Meg Willardson. She lives in Bella Vista and is in first grade at Cooper Elementary. Reese has five pet chickens that she takes very good care of. Her favorite part is collecting the colorful eggs every day. Reese plays soccer for Team Freedom with Bentonville Parks and Rec. She loves spending time with her younger sister and brother. Her favorite food is broccoli."

This is when the emcee asked Reese to go join last year's Miss BHS while Hannah was introduced. Reese gave Hannah a big hug, whispered, "I hope you win it all" in her ear, and went to her spot. It was the cutest thing ever.

Before intermission, Hannah was announced to be one of the Top 5 contestants.
The future misses got to join their parents and we sat together with out friends on the 2nd row for the second half of the pageant.

Reese loved every minute. Talk about a little girl's dream! How cute is she?

It was such a fun night. Aaron was out of town, so Auntie Kasey saved the day and stayed home with Corbin and Quincy so Reese and I could have a date. We ate fried chicken and fries for dinner, and Reese got a pink cupcake that said Miss BHS on it. She also received flowers and a goody bag from Hannah with a pillow pet, a game, candy, stickers, a cinderella cup, and a silver necklace that says "future miss" on it.

Reese was obsessed with Hannah and talked about her all week. I was happy to hear that Hannah hadn't spent any extra money on the pageant, either. She wore her prom dress from last year and her mom did her hair and makeup.

The talent portion was next and it was pretty incredible. Not your average high school talent show. These girls were actually quite amazing! One of the girl performed a contemporary dance to Regina Spektor's Eet (Reese's latest favorite song) and it was beautiful. Reese mouthed the words to the song and watched with amazed eyes.

Hannah tore it up on her guitar and sang Adele's Rollin' in the Deep.

And later....

She was crowned Miss BHS.

Reese couldn't have been happier.

When Reese joined Hannah on the stage again, she said, "I knew you would do it!"

I'm so happy for my little future miss. Reese is such a sweet, thoughtful girl.

Young Learners: My Home is a Special Place

Books: Where Do I Live? By Cartwheel Books, I Love My Nest By P.D Eastman

Sensory: smelly soaps

Dramatic Play: Tool Time! Provide a set of play tools for the children to “build” a house with.
Hahahaha! Their expressions crack me up in this photo. It reminds me of the painting, American Gothic.

Fine Motor: Puzzle-matching animals to their homes

Art: H Collage
H is for hard hat, house, hospital, helicopter, hammer, hippo, horse, happy face, hair, and handprint

Math: House Tangrams: I gave each of the friendly frogs a set of tangrams and encouraged them to "create a house". They got pretty creative and added features that their own homes have, like a driveway, a "big hill" and a garden.

Question: Tell me about your house.

Sign Language: House

Practical Life: Hand washing-provide the children smelly soaps to sample while they practice washing their hands properly. Discuss the benefits of good hygiene.

Music & Movement: This is the House that Jack Built- with play tools to make building motions with.
Fine Motor: House Puzzles!
The children put together house puzzles with parts to a house, and enjoyed the set of "where do I live?" puzzles where the children match animals to their houses (birds to a nest, horses to a barn, frogs to a pond, etc).

Gross Motor/Outside Play: Beep Beep! Cozy Coupe cruisin!

Goodbye Friends

So Much to Say:

This blog is lacking. it must be September. Here's where I'm spending my time:

-Preschool. It's going so well. I love my classes (as if there's any possibility that I wouldn't?) and like every year, I can't believe I ever considered taking a year off. I also originally worried I might regret the choice to teach twice a week, but I don't at all. I really love having the children separated into two separate age groups. We're having a preschool pajama party up in here, this week! Fun times!

-Soccer. Two consecutive late nights a week do not make for happy girls by wednesday. Reese rocked in her game tonight and played her hardest. The kids had good fun cheering for her. Quincy kept cheering for her own team "Go Team Beat! We got the Beat!" and Corbin enjoyed a nice box or two of Red #40.
Reese is really fast! I need to take her running and see just what kind of fire she's got in her. I might sort of really super love the idea of a potential little running buddy.

-Not that I am running lately. Cuz I'm not. Like at all.
-and to bust any questions, it's not because I'm pregnant. Cuz I'm not. Like at all.

-Pumpkin! Pie, muffins, bread, pancakes, I don't care what it is, just bring it to me and watch me eat. I promise you won't be disappointed. It's quite a show.

-Crafting. It's fall. I feel a crazy need to create, organize, clean, and make pretty things. Anything that uses creative energy. I suppose the blog could stand for me to put some of that creative energy toward writing and blog something that isn't a complete waste of your time.

-Yardwork. Under those ugly bushes were 2 tons of awful gravel. We killed ourselves digging and hauling it outta there on Saturday, and now I'm debating whether or not it is worth the money to put in a little flagstone retaining wall. The weather this week is PERFECT, so if I'm gonna do it, it should be now.

-Immunization Awareness. I really need to do something to spread the good news in my community, but I don't know what to do. Did you know that the national immunization rate is sitting at 74.9%? Did you know that the rate in Utah is only 66.7%? California is just as bad. Come on guys! Do some research. For every person that believes a conspiracy and tells false rumors that vaccines will give you cancer, an extra finger, autism, or a mullet, there needs to be 5 educated, sane people telling the truth. Vaccines are safe, and they work, but they're most effective if the entire community participates, so bully up, people. Your friends that are "opting out" for "personal reasons" are making a "personal" choice that affects YOUR health. That's not very fair, now is it? So let's change it, and speak up! Educate your friends, and let's work together to fortify our blanket of protection. As a family that has personally been affected by a communicable disease outbreak, we felt totally helpless when the girls got sick. I thought that by getting the vaccine, I'd done everything I could. Wrong. Tell OTHERS to get their vaccines, too. It's a collaborative effort. It's a civic duty.

I literally feel sick every time I hear an anti vaccine argument. Why? They are NEVER based on true information. "Vaccines gave my kid____ ." False. I have no problem telling you to your face that you are wrong, so do not try to sell me this argument. It is weak and unsupported. Do some research, your kid had ______ before the vaccine.

-Books. Still reading The Count of Monte Cristo, and I will be for the rest of my life. I should have known better than to start such a long book. I am not a "one chapter a night" kind of reader. I'd much prefer to rock the sweatpants, serve pb&j for dinner and devour a book in one day, and a few weeks later devour another book. I'm like a snake. Don't they eat one fat rabbit and then they're good for a month? I feel that way with books. I like to keep busy and let's face it, I should be mothering my small children instead of reading all the time. Monte Cristo isn't exactly a "one day" kind of book...not for me, anyway, so I've been attempting to read when my kids go to bed, but I think I'm still less than 10% though. I do enjoy the book, but reading in little spurts here and there is like snacking all day and never indulging in a real meal. I feel completely unsatisfied with this style of reading. I might have to take a break and read a short little book one day to give my ADD a fix.

-Preparations. I feel winter coming. Like an animal about to go into hibernation, I've been obsessing over making sure we are ready for it. Everything from: Are we prepared for an ice storm? Do the flashlights have batteries in them? Do we have enough firewood? How is our food storage looking? to making a list of indoor date ideas (we always end up just going to dinner and getting a redbox once winter hits), finishing up outdoor projects and painting things before it is too cold to complete them. I do hope winter stays away for another month. My squash (squashes?) are about 3 inches long and I'd love to get one good harvest in before the frost arrives.

-My kids. They are so amazing. They are growing so much so fast and it is thrilling and heartbreaking at the same time. I love them and I am so happy to be a mother.

-Cooking, baking, and most importantly, eating. Food is good, y'all. How sad would life be without bread and cheese? Mmm or chocolate? Or crisp grapes? And we have access to all of those things every day! We have so much to be grateful for. Have another cookie.

We went to the zoo today

it was pretty great. More to come....maybe tomorrow, which is when I plan on returning to reality and completing 100+ unfinished posts.

Reese

is singing in the shower.
I love that girl.

Five.

I'm too lazy to catch up and finish the 3 posts I have started, and I'm anxious to snuggle up on the sofa with Aaron and watch a movie tonight.

Here are 5 good things that happened today:

-Corbin went to his first "friend" birthday party. He had fun running wild with his little buddies and, naturally, thought that the presents were for him.

-Aaron chained the big ugly bushes to the hitch on our minivan and hauled them off into the woods.

-Kasey came over this afternoon and we cut out some big wooden pumpkins from old fence pickets. Free craft? Yes!

-I took down the shutters to the house, painted them crimson, and had them back in place before the kids woke up from nap.

-It was gorgeous today. The kids played "swords" and drew pictures with sidewalk chalk in the backyard.

Vintage Treasure

Aaron retuned from his trip to Utah with a suitcase full of goodies. Wow, is all I can say! Lynda knows me well and gathered the most wonderful "package" of treasures for us including but not limited to:

-fresh peanut butter from Whole Foods (my fave!)
-a new sugar cookie salt city candle
-two vintage My Little Pony Play doh Pinkie Pie Twinkle Twirl Parlor sets (we can't wait to play with this one over the weekend! I need to make some pink and purple playdough! My kids have no idea what kind of fun they are in for.)
-old school FHE lessons from Aaron's childhood.
-paper cutouts and the book, "There Was and Old Lady Who Swallowed a Pie" (be excited, preschoolers!)
-Dr. Seuss's The Foot Book and The Lorax
-trick or treating flashlights

and, my favorite item, this little treasure.

-a tiny metal cashbox that Aaron for Christmas from Grandma Wini when he was a little boy. It really locks, it is awesome (clearly), and I love it so much I clapped with excitement when I found it in the suitcase! My favorite part is the old school engraved metal name plate. The keys disappeared years ago, but Lynda was clever and figured out which number it needs to be set on to open and marked it with a sharpie. It opens to a bright orange removable plastic tray that is miraculously still in tact.


I quickly put it on the shelf in Corbin's bedroom with the little vignette of other vintage treasures from Aaron's childhood, but then decided the reason I love it so much is because I can picture a young Aaron toting it around full of pennies or rocks or basketball cards or birthday money. It is full of love and it should be played with. I took it down from the shelf and it is the new hot novelty in our home. We've used our microwave timer for turn taking a lot this week!

I love watching my children play "store" and "garage sale" with it. They have filled it with doll clothes, strawberry shortcakes, toy story characters, grass (that was fun), and hair pretties. I wonder if Grandma Wini knew that it would last 30 years and be enjoyed by her great grandchildren.

Thank you, Lynda, for being the Mary Poppins that you are, and continuing to find little treasures like this, that make my children so happy! We love you!

Reese, on Halloween Costumes

Reese: I want to be "Huh-My-Knee" for Halloween.

Meg: You want to be a what?

Reese: Huhmynee. You know, from Harry Potter 1 and 2? (we've only allowed her to watch the first two films and she reminds us of this injustice daily) The girl.

Meg: Oh! HeRmoine?

Reese: No. They say it like this, "Huhmynee".

Meg: That's because they are British. They have accents because they live far away in England. You live in the United States. You can call her, Hermoine.

Reese: Oh. That's funny. Ok, well if I be HERmoine, can you make my hair big like hers or get me a wig or something? Hey! You should be HERmoine, Mom! Your hair is already so big it's perfect!

Butterfly Summer

This morning, we watched a hummingbird fly around on the patio while we ate breakfast.
It was pretty amazing.

Quincy has a pop up book that she got for her first birthday from Mark and Melinda called "Caterpillar Spring, Butterfly Summer" that she loves. The caterpillar eats all spring, and emerges as a butterfly when summer arrives. We are definitely having a "butterfly summer" here!

I had no idea that oregano, marigolds, and sunflowers attract butterflies, but we have quite the butterfly garden out back because of them.

I spy 3 butterflies in this picture. Q identified the buckeye on the left.

A Black swallowtail. These infest Bella Vista every year. So pretty!

"Oooh it smells like peppa up in here!"

The pepper harvest is in full swing.

Fajitas, anyone?

Humbled.

I just caught Henry mowing our lawn.

When the husband leaves town

See Aaron leave town for the weekend.
See Kasey come over with a rope and the Jeep.
See Meg and Kasey tie ugly bushes in the front yard to the Jeep.
See Creepy Neighbor Keith come outside to give us the staredown with his stink eye.
See Kasey hit the gas!






See Meg squeal with delight.

"Adapt, React, Re-adapt, Act" -Michael Scott

I received an interesting phone call tonight from one of the Young Women I used to work with. Her family moved away some time ago, but she called me tonight to ask for some help with a paper she is writing for school. The assignment was to write a memoir of a life changing event in her life.

She said that most people were writing about 9/11 or a favorite birthday.

She chose to write about a night in 2007 when I told her to get her act together and quit pouting.


I distinctly remember that night. I had pulled her aside during a youth night activity after watching her mope around for a few weeks about a disappointing turn of events in her life. I had approached one of her parents the week before about her odd, attention seeking behavior and hadn't received the response or concern I had hoped to get. I decided to react differently.

I knew she needed something. I prayed for this young woman a lot, and I felt really good about our talks when I would counsel her.

I gave her a ride home after the activity, and stopped at Dairy Queen on the way home. We sat in my car and I berated her with questions about her life, then attempted to help her recognize the negative consequence of her pouting. . She would lay around on the floor or across tables during activities, choose to isolate herself and refuse participate, speak out inappropriately to interrupt if one of her peers had the floor, or play mute and give certain girls the "silent treatment".

It wasn't cute, it was desperate, and I was not impressed.

I asked her to vocalize how she was handling each scenario. She laughed at first, but I think that verbally describing her physical actions helped her realize just how ridiculous they were, and that was the first step toward changing them.
Tonight on the phone, she told me that was the lowest point in her life, and while several people reached out to her to try to cheer her up, I was the only one who told her to knock off the self pity and move on. She reminded me that I told her to "leave it at the door" when she came to youth night, (I actually made her physically wipe her feet on the door mat) and that it's okay to be sad or upset about something, but it is not okay to abuse her circumstance to make others feel bad or attract negative attention to herself. She told me that I helped her understand The Atonement and how to "place a burden on the altar" and let Christ help her deal with problems and disappointment.

There were two times during the following year when she got out of control during an activity and I sent her from the room to go wipe her feet and come back with a better attitude.


She told me that, today, she is nothing like the girl that sat in my car 4 years ago, crying and angry, wishing misfortune and unhappiness on her peers.


She told me she still wipes her feet at the door when she has youth night and it helps her leave distractions of the world outside and come to church ready to learn and be lifted up.


She told me she wonders how long it would have taken her to realize she was wasting her time and missing out on a good life, if I hadn't stepped in and challenged (chastised) her to choose happiness.


She told me she has made great progress on one and accomplished the other of the two goals she set for herself that night.


She told me she is grateful and thanked me for listening to her "go on and on about her issues."


Most importantly,
She told me she is happy, now.


I've always known that that night was a special one, but I am so happy that she realized it, too.

I know this isn't the right way to approach every angry teenager out there. But I prayed for this sweet girl, and reacted the way I felt prompted. My testimony that Christ knows us as individuals is strengthened. He feels our struggles, mourns our pain, weeps with our sadness. He was watching out for this young woman and I feel happy knowing I was able to be an instrument in guiding her closer to Him.


The other reason I wanted to share this experience is so my friends who serve the Young Women, can feel the same joy. Working with the youth was very rewarding at times, but also very frustrating. It was a sacrifice, and there were times when I wondered if the sacrifices I made (leaving my own children at home) to be with these girls each week was worth it, or if it made a difference to the girls.


I hung up the phone tonight knowing with certainty it made a difference for one.

She's like a 1950's housewife

On Monday, I haggled a roadside fruit stand and scored a box of peaches for 75 cents a pound.
So, this week I baked a peach pie and a peach crisp, took a break to kill the raccoon we trapped,
and canned 14 pints of sweet memory peaches.

Family and friends, come visit me! I will feed you!

peaches and pies... not raccoons.

Young Learners Let's Go: to the Beach!

Let’s Go to the Beach!
Share: Bring something that begins with letter H (we had hats, a hippo, a horse, a halloween decoration, hands, hair, and a house)

Books: Summer, by Lois Santrey
Time to Get Dressed, by DK Publishing
How Will We Get to the Beach?, By Brigitte Luciani

Dramatic Play: Beach Play prop box (sand toys, sunglasses, towels, sunscreen, flip flops, umbrella, sun hats, beach balls, etc) Encourage the children to pretend they are playing at the beach. What do they see? What do they hear?

Cooking: Summer Snowcones – The children added the ice, held the bowl and pushed the button to shave the ice for snowcones.

Fine Motor: Tracing wavy lines (busy bees traced with a finger, friendly frogs used pencils then markers)

Snack: Goldfish and snow cones

Art: handprint starfish, and I have to agree with Chase, "they're so cute".

Math: Seashell Sort: the children separated the seashells by size. The friendly frogs also sorted by color and shape.

Social Science: Dress for the weather!
Provide the children with a large basked of assorted seasonal clothing and encourage them to separate the winter clothes from the summer clothes. Why don't we wear flip flops in the summer? Why do we need gloves in the winter?

Language: group read How Will We Get To the Beach?

Cognitive Activity: Play “what’s missing” with the items from the story and other summertime props (book, turtle, baby, ball, umbrella, sunglasses)

Practical Life: I can wait in a line.

Gross Motor: Beach Balls-provide the children with a variety of beach balls to play catch with.

Friendly Frog table activity: alphabet puzzles

Music & Movement: Oh What Do You Do in the Summer time? song and Beach party music!

Goodbye Friends

Highlight moments/Sweet pictures:

#1) Jace shows off his sweet Euro Mullet. Missie, I know you hate it, but this time, I side with Chris. That hair is purely awesome. I dare you to add in a the Vanilla Ice stair step on the sides. Only Jace could pull off this kind of goodness. Do it!




#2) Max: "Mrs. Meg! Stand right there and and take a picture of me when I'm swinging so it's like I kicked your camera in the face, but not really----just for the picture, okay? Right there...now, don't move..."

only for you, Max.

It was a great week at preschool!