The girls both celebrated Valentines day in their classes a few days before Valentines Day.
This was Maddy's first school Valentines day and she was so excited.
They both wanted to make Pokemon themed boxes so we printed off faces of the Pokemon they wanted, wrapped shoe boxes in yellow construction paper and taped on the characters. They were both very happy with their creations.
I forgot to take a picture in the morning so I made them pose with their boxes after school.
Valentines morning I set up the table with some roses given to us by Doug's parents, a hedgehog we named "Hedgy Potter" given to us by my parents, some disposable sticky place mats made by Mark and Callie (you can buy them here) , a few gifts for the girls (a book for each, a small Lego set for Abi and shopkins for Maddy as well as chocolates), hot chocolate and cinnamon rolls. Then we called the girls out.
They were so excited.
We had a really nice family day and then I finished the day by watching Austenland.
I don't watch tv every day. Most of the shows I watch are either on Netflix or Hulu or the shows I own on DVD. I very rarely watch it on tv when it is actually on. But the shows I really like... I REALLY like. Television gives a show the time to really develop stories and characters and it can become something that is very easy to become attached to.
So, when I saw the epic TV tag I knew I wanted to do it.
I first saw this tag on Lynsey MacDonald's YouTube channel here. I think it is originally from Jade's Land here.
So, on to the tag!
1) The Best TV Pilot
This one is a no brainer for me. I didn't start watching LOST until it had been out for a few seasons. It was getting so much hype that I was pretty sure that I wouldn't like it. I was so pleasantly surprised at how much I liked it and how it sucked me in.
The pilot episode was perfect for getting across the theme of the show and getting you pulled right in to the story and the characters. We are looking at Jack's eye and then watch as he wakes up in the middle of the jungle. We watch as he panics and runs out of the jungle to the beach. It pans over a beautiful peaceful beach to the plane wreckage and we are suddenly overtaken with the sounds of the plane, screaming, and all of the chaos. It almost felt like you were experiencing it with him.
2) Worst TV Pilot
Surprisingly I would have to say the reboot of Doctor Who. As much as I LOVE this show, most of you know that the first time I watched this episode I stopped watching. Then later I returned back to it thankfully and pushed through. The episode is so cheesy and has such horrible quality. But now when I watch it it is nostalgic. I always tell people to start with a better episode and then go back and watch this once they have a love for Rose and the Doctor! Or to make sure they don't give up on it until they have given the show a good chance.
3) Best Series Finale
Definitely Downton Abbey. I bought Season 6 as soon as it came out on DVD and I binge watched it in three days. Now I am re-watching it with my mom. They ended this series perfectly. I loved the closure I got with the characters and the growth they all had.
4) Worst Series Finale
That would probably have to be Lark Rise to Candleford.
Don't get me wrong. It is not because I didn't like the episode!
It's because I didn't want it to end. It didn't feel done.
5) Favorite TV actress
This is such a tricky one. I can't possibly pick just one!!
I could go on and on actually so I picked five and I will stick to them although five minutes from now I am sure I will think of someone that should have been added to this list!
I will go with Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel as Loralei and Rory on Gilmore Girls, Sarah Michelle Gellar as Buffy Summers on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Michelle Dockery and Maggie Smith as Lady Mary and the Dowager Countess on Downton Abbey.
6) Favorite TV Actor
Again, I could go with SO many but I think I will leave this one at Dan Stevens as Matthew Crawley in Downton Abbey.
7) Favorite Reality TV star
A few years ago there was a reality show that only aired for one season, Expedition Impossible.
I loved this show. It was fantastic. I was really excited to watch Eric Weihenmayer compete as I had just read his book, Touch the Top of the World: A Blind Man's Journey to Climb Farther than they Eye Can See about his climbing of Mount Everest.
His team, No Limits, was so inspirational. Not just him, but his teammates too. There was another team, the Gypsies, that I loved as well.
8) Most Disappointing Cancellation
I already mentioned Lark Rise to Candleford, so I will answer this one with Firefly.
This show was not ready to be over.
9) Best Theme Song
NO CONTEST.
There are many theme songs I like but none make me feel the way this one does.
It is perfection.
10) Favorite Female Character
Okay, I'm just going to put this here again...
and then add to that....
Dorcas Lane from Lark Rise to Candleford, Felicity King from Road to Avonlea, Willow Rosenberg from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Emma Swan from Once Upon A Time.
Plus
Rose on Doctor Who
11) Favorite Male Character
Captain Hook from Once Upon A Time, Xander and Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Gus Pike from Road to Avonlea, Matthew Crawley from Downton Abbey.
Plus
The Doctor of course.
12) Least Favorite Character
Black Jack Randall from Outlander. He is pure evil.
13) First TV Show Ever Watched
I don't think anyone really knows this unless your parents remember. But I can remember watching a lot of Cosby Show as a kid.
14) Fastest Binge Watch
Every time. I can't just watch one episode.
15) Favorite Action Show
Buffy the Vampire Slayer of course.
16) Favorite Fantasy Show
Once Upon A Time
16.5) I am adding one here. They didn't put a Sci-fi show so I am making that at thing:
Favorite Sci-Fi Show:
Doctor Who of course.
17) Favorite Comedy Show
Gilmore Girls. Not that it was always funny. But it's funny A LOT.
If we are talking sitcom 30 minute type comedy it would be The Goldbergs.
As a child of the eighties this show is just magic.
18) Favorite Reality Show
The Amazing Race.
I am sure it is because I love to travel and I would love to see every inch of the world. This is the only reality show I would actually want to go on.
19) Favorite show of ALL time
This is another impossible to answer with just one. And from my previous answers, I'm pretty sure you can all name them with me:
Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Gilmore Girls, Once Upon a Time, Road to Avonlea, Doctor Who, and Downton Abbey.
20) TV Crush
This is another hard one. I pretty much have a TV crush on every show I watch. But these are probably the main six.
Jamie Fraser from Outlander, Matthew from Downton Abbey, Charles Brandon from The Tudors (Henry Cavill before he was Superman), Sir Gwaine from Merlin, Sawyer from Lost, and Captain Hook from Once Upon a Time.
It looks like I have a type. Mostly longish hair with facial hair. Hmmm.
21) Show I regret Watching
Walking Dead. No picture for this. Even though I DESPISE zombies, I thought I would try the show since everyone I knew seemed to love it. People that tend to like the same things as me. Nope.
Couldn't get through the whole first episode. It is just so GORY. And so gross. And nope. I felt uncomfortable while watching it. So, never again.
22) Favorite Animated Show
Phineas and Ferb. I love this show. I don't get sick of it. I find it genuinely funny. Best animated show ever in my opinion.
23) Guilty Pleasure Show
The Bachelor/ Bachelorette.
Yep. I am not proud of it. But I watch them. And they entertain me. Why? I don't know.
24) Most embarrassing watch
Same as above
25) Character whose wardrobe I would most like to steal
Rory Gilmore:
Emma Swan:
And let's be real, all the ladies on Downton Abbey
26) Favorite mini-series:
Absolute no brainer:
Anne of Green Gables/ Anne of Avonlea.
In fact if this is considered TV then I would have to go back and add this to most of the other questions: best pilot and finale, favorite tv actress and actor, favorite female and male character, favorite show of all time, tv crush, character whose wardrobe I would like to steal, and OTP.
But I think of this as more of a movie. So for now, I will just use it for favorite mini- series.
27) Favorite TV OTP's
If you don't know what an OTP is, it means One True Pairing. So my favorite OTP's would be the couples in television that I knew had to be together. The ones I want to be together and stay together.
They are:
Loralei and Luke
Rory and Jess
Buffy and Spike
Matthew and Mary
Emma Swan and Captain Hook
Phew! That was a big tag! I hope you were entertained.
Madeline got the Principal's Soaring Eagle Award. She was so excited.
You might remember that last year Abi got this award too so Madeline already knew what it was and she was so proud. She loved getting to go to school early to get a special pencil and certificate from the principal.
Later that day I got to school early to pick them up and got to see Maddy coming in with her class. She looked so cute walking along with her arms folded.
When the girls had Martin Luther King day off from school we spent the day watching water color tutorials on YouTube and painting our own versions.
It was also Winnie the Pooh day so we had a picnic for lunch and watched the cartoons. We also made Vanilla Honey milkshakes.
Maddy had her very first school field trip. I was lucky enough to get picked to go with them.
We went to Capitol Theater to see a dance presentation so we had a long bus ride.
She was so excited!
There were a lot of schools there and it was a MADHOUSE! I was so glad I wasn't in charge and so, so glad that I was there to hold my little girl's hand because it would have been so easy for a kid to get lost here. I was in charge of four other kids as well and I was constantly counting heads on our way in and out to make sure they were all sticking close to me.
The theater is so beautiful and it was fun to be there again with Maddy (I have been there many times but Maddy had just been once before when we went to the Nutcracker a couple of years ago).
The dance presentation however was.... interesting.
It was supposed to be geared toward kids so I was expecting something really fun and upbeat.
It was quite dark with loud, mechanical music, crazy costumes, and some interesting themes. I kept hearing kids around me saying "This is so creepy!"
There were two numbers that were really cool visually but I feel like it would be much more appreciated by artsy adults than by children.
There were a few times when I felt like I was in the middle of a Pretty Little Liars episode. It was odd.
Abi and I went to our library's mother and daughter book club for the first time.
The book was Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's library so we HAD to go.
We had so much fun that we now want to try to go every month.
They had puzzles for us to figure out while we waited for it to start.
Then the librarian in charge taught the kids some things about the author and we discussed the book.
I was so happy to see Abi raising her hand to answer questions!
Then she split the kids into four groups and they were sent on a scavenger hunt in the children's section using clues. It was SO much fun.
It ended with a craft and snacks (not really related to the book but fun nonetheless).
They made duct tape bags.
We knew that Doug's parents were going to be leaving on another mission. They came home unexpected from their mission to Hong Kong because they were asked to serve in a different place and were told to come home to spend time with family before leaving for the next area. They couldn't tell us where they would be going until they received the word in the mail.
So last week they called us all over on a Monday night to read their new call.
They will now be going to Vietnam to help open up the new Hanoi mission.
They are trying to pack in as much as they can before leaving again.
Last Friday night Doug's mom took all of the daughters-in-law out to eat and chat.
(Doug's sisters Melinda and Wendy live in other states and couldn't be here for it)
We went to a Mexican restaurant I had never been to. It was a lot of fun.
Callie, Samantha, Katrina, myself, and Christine (Doug's mom)
(counter clockwise from left)
I was able to finally get a turn volunteering in Maddy's classroom this week. Most parents that could volunteer signed up at the beginning of the year for a certain day every month and so she sends out an email every month of any days that have opened up. We weren't in this class back then so I don't have a specific day. It was a lot of fun to watch her in her class and sneak a few pictures.
Tuesday we had Parent Teacher Conferences.
They were awesome. They are both at the top of average or above average in everything. Neither one has ever gotten in trouble. This sounds super braggy. But I am so proud of how well they do at school.
I also learned that reading fast is definitely hereditary! I am a really fast reader which is why I can get through books so fast. I have had people say that I can't be savoring them or getting all the info but I actually am. I just read fast naturally. Always have.
In Maddy's class her teacher said that by the end of first grade she should be able to read 52 words per minute and she is already at 130 with accuracy and comprehension.
And Abi is at 260 also with 100% accuracy and comprehension.
So, see it runs in the family!
Maddy's teacher also told me that she is shy and quiet in class. Always listens and follows every direction the first time.
I was like, shy? Huh?
The one thing we have to work with her on is getting her math facts quickly. She said she can always figure out the equation but their tests are timed and she doesn't always get the answer quickly enough so we need to do flashcards and things to make it faster.
Abi's teacher told us that she has blossomed over the past few months gaining in confidence and making a lot of really close friends. She told me that she credits it to Pokemon. She said that ever since Abi got into Pokemon it gave her something to really connect with the other kids about.
At the end of each meeting the kids get a number to take to the book fair and a few kids get $10 worth of free books.
Abi got 13 this time and I said, "Hey it's our lucky number. Maybe you will win this time!"
And she actually did!
I always let them each pick out one book from the fair so Abi was able to get two and was really happy.
We had a lot of fun at Parent/ Teacher night!
Today Abi has her first science fair at school. She did her project on water evaporation because she wanted to know whether it would dry faster on wood or carpet.
This was the first time ever that she has really procrastinated on a school project. We have been constantly reminding her to get it done for weeks!
Finally last night she put her poster together and finished it.
I forgot to take a picture of the final project so I will have to do that when she brings it home but for now here she is working on it....
