What are those bruises?

So....we had a great time with Seth this weekend! Our visit was short because he was only in town for about 24 hours and he had interviews and an open house with National City, but we managed to show him a bit of Cleveland. Ok, that's a lie, we actually just rushed him off to the church to play volleyball with use until midnight before his interview, so the next morning he was yawning and falling asleep during the benefits powerpoint. Sorry Seth! But you had some great spikes...wasn't it worth it?!? I hope no one asked you about the bruises on your forearms. :) WE LOVE YOU AND HOPE YOU AND EMILY MOVE HERE BY US!!!! And BIG congratulations to Emily for winning FIRST in the debate nationals in Florida!

Later this week we made our first Cleveland snowman with the snowman-in-a-box kit that Kristina gave us at Thanksgiving :). Isn't he cute?

Hadley and Hyrum's Heaven...

The animal loving gene seems to have skipped over Jeff, from Jack to Hadley and Hyrum! They LOVE animals! One of their favorite activities is going to Petland and the Animal Shelter. Rachel our nanny takes them there about once a week (in the summer it was about every day). When I took them there on Christmas Eve I thought the employees would see us coming and run the other way, but Hadley and Hyrum are their regulars and they treated us great.

The "talk"...NOT FOR CHILDREN!

So, it finally happened. Hadley's friends at school have been talking to her about it and we finally couldn't wait any longer. Jeff sat down and had the talk with Hadley a couple weeks ago. I've been a little depressed ever since.

It all started with comments like, "You know, Emma thinks her parents give her presents and just "say" they're from Santa Claus. Isn't that silly?" Of course Jeff and I heartily agreed that that was the silliest thing we had ever heard...but inquiring minds have to know. So a few Sunday's ago, she came straight out to Jeff and asked him...."Dad, is there really a Santa Claus? Or is it just you and mom giving me presents and saying they are from Santa Claus?" My ever straight arrow husband ran out of the room and cornered me in the office with a look of shear panic in his eyes. He said to me..."Angie, I'm going to tell her, you can be there or not, but I can't lie to her and she wants to know." I couldn't watch so I wimped out.

Jeff will have to fill you in on the details of the conversation, but since then she keeps making semi-revealing comments around her brother!!!!!!!!!! And he's ONLY 3!!!!!!!!! WHAT IS GOING ON!!!! I THOUGHT THEY WOULD BELIEVE FOREVER!!!!!!!!

Well, now that Santa's been outed, sure enough so has the toothfairy and the Easter bunny. She didn't even ask about those 2, she just informed me that she figured it out. All very depressing, I know. :(

Is it a date?

So the father of one of the boys in Hadley's class called this week to invite Hadley to a play. Apparently this boy's grandmother had promised to take him and told him that he could invite a friend. When I asked Hadley if she wanted to go, she excitedly said yes and I didn't think about it again. When I told Hadley's father about the arrangement he lifted an eyebrown and asked...."Isn't that a date?" Well, Hadley went to the play today and had a great time.

When she came home, I heard Jeff giving her the once over while they were doing the dinner dishes. "So, did you have fun at the play? Who did you sit by? Were you sitting close to X?" I had to laugh...is this just the start? Have we entered the stage of crushes and going-together with father interrogations and all?

So I open it up to you...what do you think? Is it a date?

Hadley's school...

I love these old colonial buildings...the only down-side is no hot lunch. These schools were built without kitchens because everyone just walked home for lunch.