More Than Just Cheese & Packers

Ruby: Does Green Bay have Halloween?

Me: Yes.

Ruby: Oh. We should go there sometime.

Birthday Tradition

I'm not sure if this has ever been mentioned on the blog or not, but there is an interesting tradition between my grandmother and the girls on their birthdays. She knows that we don't buy them much junk food (rarely to never), so she has made it a tradition to buy them some less-healthy food items and gives them as birthday gifts. These presents are always wrapped in newspaper and they are always highly anticipated. This year was no exception, and here is the birthday girl with some of her birthday presents from Grandma 2:


The Cocoa Krispies are loooooooong gone, and we're down to 1 of 3 boxes of macaroni and cheese left. It's a fun and special treat.

Swimming and Diving

After August 4th I promise to post something every day for a month, but until then I'm just hanging on for dear life (blame graduate school). I did want to share this, however, because swimming and diving lessons ended today and I feel like this nicely captures the way I feel about my oldest daughter:

Cici is an awesome girl to have in class. She is fearless when it comes to diving! When she smacked doing a pike dive she got right back up, setting a wonderful example for the class. She is well on her way to reaching her dream of being a professional diver and swimmer. -Laura

This was written by her diving coach for the past 2 weeks. I often say she is fearless - not just about diving but about living life in general - and it makes me smile to see that others recognize this trait, too. I hope she doesn't lose this quality, because it will take her far.

[Ruby is fighting bedtime.]

Dadam: Ruby, that's enough noise in here.

Ruby: But Dad, I can't sleep!

Dadam: Well, you're not trying very hard.

Ruby: Well, what should I do?

Dadam: You need to lie there quietly and settle yourself down. You could try counting sheep in your head - imagine them jumping over a fence or something.

Ruby: Counting? But that's - like homework!