Homecoming 2010

Morgan cleans up pretty well!  This is the only picture I was able to get where the kids both had their eyes open!

Sweet 16

Morgan turned sweet 16 in January.  I am so proud of the young lady she has become.  She is very mature beyond her years.  Occasionally, she does get hormonal, but for the most part she has always been the perfect child.  (My mom calls this the Typical Middle Child Syndrome.)


Here she is modeling her birthday gift.  A varsity jacket.  I can hardly believe she's this grown up!  Just two more short years and my middle child will be an adult!

Isn't she a cutie!

Sorry, Morgan, there are no car keys in the pockets!

The back is kind of, well, empty right now.  This spring she will be presented with her first varsity letter. 

Morgan is used to her birthday celebration not being a big deal in our house.  Her birthday falls immediately following Christmas.  In fact, the decorations are usually not put away, yet! 

I learned early on to buy her birthday gifts at the same time as Christmas gifts because many stores sell out of items and don't restock before her birthday.  This year was no exception.  Despite the fact that I placed the order for this jacket weeks in advance, it was still not ready for several days past her birthday. 

Bad mom award, again!

You would think that after 16 years of practice, I would have it together, but does anyone have any pointers for planning birthdays around Christmas time?   

The Next Jurassic Park Actress

On a recent trip to the zoo, Morgan was hanging out of, I mean, hanging out with the prehistoric animals. . .

Morgan is such a funny kid. Last week after she finished her last driver's ed class, I asked her,

"Who's the momma? I got you to driver's ed classes and worked on painting and organizing some of your room today."

Morgan replies, "It'll buy you a nice nursing home."

Not to be outwitted by a 15-year old, my comeback, "Make sure it's a gluten-free one."

HA! HA!

Look Out Pedestrians!

Morgan turned 15-1/2 this week. So I took her to the local DMV to get her driver's packet. She will study this before taking her written temporary permit packet.

How can a girl that I just allowed to sit up front in my car with airbags be allowed to drive. I think she is just barely over the age/weight restrictions to be out of a booster seat! For goodness sake, she can barely see over the steering wheel. How can she drive?

Ok, I'm very over protective. I'm having a hard time letting go here. *Sigh*

Teen Drivers

So, today is May 1. My middle daughter, Morgan age 15 and one half - exactly (in two days). Is driving me up the walls.

About what?

I told you.

Driving.

In Ohio, teenagers are eligible to get their temporary driver's permit on the day they turn 15-1/2.

Hello! Obviously the people making these laws don't have kids!

My child can't even remember to do her chores from beginning to end without multiple reminders. I'm not giving her a large list either. No more than 30 minutes to an hour worth.

How is she going to pay for a car and license and insurance? Oh, she's going to get a JOB!

Yeah right!

This is the same girl that has to come home and take a daily nap afterschool. She can't seem to remember to complete all of her chores.

Not to mention the fact that this area is really hard hit by the economy. The unemployment rate here is around 15%. Higher than the national average. Teens are having a hard time getting a job at the local Krogers or McDonalds because the adults are taking the low paying jobs.

Here's her responsibilities:

Feed and water the dogs.

Unload the dishwasher, with the exception of silverware (because that's Shayla's job).

Reload the dirty dishes that have accumulated because the dishwasher was full (otherwise, we are all responsible for our own dishes).

Hand wash and put away the large dishes (pots and pans). We don't put these in the dishwasher, because if we did, the dishwasher would run 24/7.

Don't forget to wipe the counters and table and clean the dog food and compost trays.

Oh, and put away your own clothes, which more often than not, Mom has already folded or put onto a hanger.

Make her bed and keep her room tidy.

Yeah, I'm a strict Mom. Right! I know there are two-year olds in some families doing these things.

So my child can't remember to do these things, but now that she's the magic age, I'm supposed to be overjoyed that she is going to be operating a 2 ton vehicle at high speeds.

UGH!

I guess it's a rite of passage and I need to let go of my baby a little bit. Eighteen years isn't very long to try to do a good job of preparing these kids for the future.

Yes, I'm feeling very old today as I reflect on this. Oh, and did I mention, my BABY will be eight years old this month.

Words of encouragement and/or advise would be appreciated here.

A Shopper in Training

Several years ago, we got "radical" and "with gazelle intensity" with our debts. We were able to pay off all of our debt with the exception to our mortgage (which we are working on).

For awhile we bought nothing, absolutely nothing we didn't need. Over a year of the bear necessities.

Now that we are out of debt, we are coming out of this thinking a little bit. I

It started with CVSing, then it carried over with couponing at several grocery stores each week, now it has affected all of my purchasing - from home improvement stores to clothing, to online purchases.

I discuss these ways of saving with my two daughters (ages 15 and 7). Morgan (15) has accompanied me to the store many times.

I never realized how much she was picking up til this weekend.

The Girl Scouts have a night annually that the girls can stay the night at a local shopping mall. There is karaoke, carnival games, a craft area, food, and best of all, many of the retailers stay open till the wee hours of the morning. They allow the girls to be kids. They touch and try on many things that the stores would not normally appreciate.

Morgan was the oldest girl from our troop to go. She hung out with a group of girls and "mother-henned" them all night. She taught them how to make their money stretch as far as possible by using sales, shopping in the children's department first, before the juniors department, and telling them when something was just too expensive.

I was so proud of her! How much she has picked up!

This was her best purchase for the night:

She snagged this beautiful dress for next year's fall homecoming dance, at Sears for only $10.66 - including tax! Isn't that awesome.

Talking is so important for teens, they are listening even when they act like they aren't. They are also watching everything you do, so be a good example.

Mis-match Day!

Morgan's school had spirit week this week. Each day was a different theme, they had to dress like something different. One day was twin day, you and your best buddy dressed the same.

My favorite day was mis-match day. As you can see, she definately did not match! Isn't she lovely?!?

Happy 15th Birthday, Morgan!

Fifteen years ago today, I gave birth to my second daughter, Morgan Leigh.

What a little peanut she was! She weighed in at 5 lbs. 8 oz. and 18-1/2" long. She was so small my husband could hold her in one of his hands!

Morgan was a definate surprise child! In the words of Rosanne, (I'm para-phrasing here). She was not a whoops, because that is like a mistake and you wouldn't do it again. She was a surprise, not planned, but a definate blessing!

I'm proud of the young lady she has become!

My second Cinderella - Homecoming Pics

It hardly seems like it could be, but our middle daughter is now in high school and going to grown up things like...um...homecoming.





Where did the years go?





Here's a shot of us girls...mom, morgan and shay.


Morgan and her date. Neither of them drive yet, so the whole date was in a group setting and chaperoned by another parent. So I could breathe a little easier there.
After homecoming, she said simply that she had an amazing time!

BTW, to all my frugal friends, my daughter purchased this dress at Kohls last year after Christmas with a gift card she got she paid less than $15 for it! She has not worn it before now. I was so proud of her thinking ahead and using her own $$. Now if she could just quit wasting things I pay for, like electric, shampoo, and the list goes on...and on...and on.

Here We Go Again . . .

My oldest daughter, Cassandra was in cheerleading, gymnastics, baton twirling and about any and every other activity you could imagine. She started cheer when she was around 5 years old. She even performed on a competition cheer team one year.

Daughter #2, Morgan, decided to follow in her footsteps. Sure, she did the peewee cheer, but she continued it in jr. high, now this year she is a high school cheerleader. She cheers for both football and basketball seasons.

I know this doesn't seem like a big deal. Anyone who knows Morgan knows she has a loud mouth and an outgoing personality. These are good assets to any cheer squad, but Morgan has always been the studious type. You know, she gets honor roll, like always. She rather have her nose in a book than anything!

It makes me wonder if shy little Shayla will follow in big sis' footsteps, too?!?