Back to School dates: part 2

Madi's date also started with medical appointments. We left pretty early and went to the hospital. 

She had to have a chest X-ray and do an EKG.

We waited around a lot. 

It was weird to watch my little girl (I know, I know, she is thirteen. She is still my little girl!) get an X ray like this. 

It came back normal, thank goodness. 

Then we had to go for her EKG. The tech looked so young. He didn't seem too much older than her. He was very nice and soft- spoken, and it turned out that he had been home-schooled too. 

Thankfully, this came back normal too. The doctor did call later as we were shopping to tell us about both tests. She also let us know that Madi's vitamin D was extremely low and that it looked like she might have hypothyroidism. However, a few days later the pediatric endocrinologist refused the referral saying that while she was low, she was still normal. So we are going to focus on the vitamin D and see what bloodwork tells us in two months. She may still have to go for a few more cardiac appointments if symptoms don't go away, but for now we are thankful that she seems okay. 

After the hospital visits were out of the way, we went to Target and then to the mall. 

We visited Build a Bear to pick up Madi's friend that had been left there the day before. 

We shopped a few stores in the mall, went to Barnes and Noble, and then went to Applebees for lunch. 

We visited Old Navy as well, and then Hobby Lobby last for my art supply loving girl. 

Madi needed more clothes than Abi did, so we got quite a few things for her. She also didn't have an activity like the escape room that she wanted to do, so we spent that money on craft and art supplies. 

We also bought Abi a shirt and some shoes. 

 It was another really fun day. I was exhausted after two days of nonstop shopping and doctor appointments, but I am so glad I chose to do this. 

I love these girls so much. 

Back to School Dates: part 1

We used to go to a hotel and have a girls' back to school weekend. We would shop and eat out. Eventually, it turned into just shopping as it seemed weird to spend the money on a hotel that was just minutes from home. When we started homeschooling, it morphed into just going school supply shopping, getting a meal out, and buying an outfit. 

This year, I decided I needed to make it more of a big tradition again. 

I told the girls that I was going to take each of them out on a date by themselves. Abi would have Thursday; Madi would have Friday. 

We would go shopping for clothes, supplies, eat at least one meal out, and do a couple of fun activities. 

It was good that Abi and I weren't planning to leave until after lunch, because Madi ended up having some health issues in the weeks leading up to the dates. 

I took her to a local pediatrician and she sent us to get blood work. It was her first time doing this. She was so brave. 

After getting home from the appointments with Madi we had lunch, and then Abi and I set out for our day together. 

Our first stop was Great Clips where we got her hair cut. I've been cutting it for three years now, and I felt like it was time we had somebody else do it. 

After that we visited an eyeglass store to fix her glasses, Five Below, and Old Navy. 

Then we went to the mall. 

We visited a lot of stores there, but the favorite one was Build A Bear because they had a Pokemon plush she wanted. Madi also had a plush in mind, so we were able to purchase both for the sale price and then leave Madi's there for us to pick up and fill the next day. 

We spent quite a lot of time exploring the mall and shopping, and then we left to go to a local escape room. It is one that lets you do the room with just two people. We have only been here once before, and we barely escaped. This time we were back to try a different room. 

Abi is way better at this than I am (and I think I'm pretty good at figuring out puzzles), but this was a hard one. It had a LOT of steps. Unfortunately we didn't escape this time. 

After we left there, we went to the Purple Turtle so Abi could try a strawberry milkshake. Then we visited Barnes and Noble and a few other stores. We had a very late dinner at Taco Bell after trying to go to Kneaders and finding out they were out of what we wanted. 

Abi didn't need many clothes, but we got her some really cute things, and I would pick up some more later. I had a great time spending the day with Abi. 

 

A Late addition to Maddy's Golden Birthday

It came to my attention a couple of weeks ago that Doug and I had messed something up. 

When Abi had her golden birthday (thirteenth) we bought her the normal amount of presents (we do a set amount of money) but we also asked her if she wanted a room re-do. She did not. Then I woke her up at midnight to tell her happy birthday and give her a gift. Then Doug brought home a special video game for her. 

Well, when Maddy's came around (also her thirteenth), I forgot about all of that. I asked her if she wanted a room re-do, which she did. But that mainly consisted of changing from a small room to a bigger room. We bought a couple of organization items and a plant. But I completely forgot about waking her up at midnight. I didn't get her another special gift. Doug didn't do anything for her. She never complained about this or even mentioned it. 

It came up casually and I was shocked that we had done this. It had made her feel bad, not because she got less gifts, but because it made her feel not as special. 

Doug and I knew we needed to rectify this. He bought her a game she really wanted, I bought her a gold colored Copic marker, and he even brought her home balloons. We wrapped the game in gold tissue paper and put a gold bow on it. Then we called her downstairs. 

She was so surprised. 

I am so glad we were able to do it for her. I hope she always knows how precious she is to us and that she and Abi are the most wonderful daughters that we love so much, equally. 

 

Christmas in July

We have made a tradition of celebrating Christmas in July the last few years. Technically, I think it should be Christmas in June, but we did it in July like everyone else. I went a little overboard this year. I'm not even sure why. It may have been spending so much time in the hospital, it may have been the fact that I am lamenting how fast my daughters are growing up, or just that I was excited... probably a mixture of all three. 

I made a book on Snapfish of some pictures Abi made in school last December. She made twelve days of Christmas themed pictures with You-gi-oh! characters. We always open a new book on Christmas Eve, so I wrapped this book up for Christmas in July Eve. They were very surprised. 

The next morning I put out a special breakfast. 

We brought down Maddy's little tree, I put a big bow on it, and then I put out presents for both girls. I filled the stockings too. These were bought this year to be different from our regular Christmas stockings. My mom spent the night and we watched The Man Who Invented Christmas, so she was still here in the morning. I gave her a stocking and gift too. And she gave all three of us gifts as well. 

Maddy got mostly art supplies, Abi got mostly toys (yes, that's true), and My mom and I got books. It was really fun. 

 

Random summer memories

Maddy found a vole in a window well in our back yard, so she and Doug coaxed it into this bucket and then released it into the field across the street. 

There were quite a few celebrations during the summer: 

my sister-in-law Karen's birthday,

the Fourth of July,

(we went to Doug's parent's house in the morning for breakfast with his family, and then we spent the rest of the day at home. We had a bbq and watched National Treasure at night.)

my niece Courtney's baby shower,

and the girls' spent their annual week at my parent's house while I did school planning. Doug and I went out most evenings, so that was fun. 

 A few weeks before that, my dad ended up in the ICU and spent a week in the hospital and a week in a care center. I was gone almost all day every day while he was in the hospital, so that I could be with him and help my mom. It was a hard time, so having a lot of fun things to do afterward were nice. Thankfully, he is doing much better now. He had pneumonia really bad, and it will take a while for a full recovery, but he seems to be progressing pretty quickly now.