It's been a week since I wrote, and boy....has it been a week! The girls and I tried (unsuccessfully) to get to Michigan this weekend, but I guess it wasn't in the cards. Mac, Amanda, Kameron and Kadence were home on leave and we really wanted to see them! I even brought my "nice" camera with me with hopes of taking some really nice photos. Instead we got to see the Cincinnati airport for more hours than we cared to and a so-so Days Inn not far from there. I pouted for the rest of the day and then got over it. The girls were sad, too, because they were looking forward to meeting Kadence, my new niece who I haven't even met!!! Joyce assured me that she took lots of pictures and would eventually send them my way.
Instead of visiting family, we had someone sleep over (of course...it's a weekend!!). This time it was Hailey. You may or may not remember Hailey. She was Alyssa's "best" friend until she moved away last July. They rented out their house here and Dad took a job in Phoenix (where Morgan moved to --it must be the city to move to if you are a friend of Alyssa's). It didn't work out so they moved back here, into their old house. Alyssa was thrilled! If you still don't remember her, here's an excerpt from a POW last June:
Alyssa had a little friend spend the night last night. A new one. This one's name is Hailey. She's actually a very nice girl. She has long, naturally curly hair and is built just like Alyssa. I had never had her over at the house, I'd only seen her at lunch during my monthly visit to the school to eat with Alyssa. She seemed harmless enough, so she was invited over. I made the suggestion that we have tacos last night and when asked, met with Hailey's approval. She said she was trying to eat healthier, but since tacos had meat, cheese and some vegetables, she guessed it would be OK. My blank stare at this diet-conscious 8 year old didn't even phase her. Instead, I made sure to drain ALL of the fat off the ground beef. My next eye raising encounter with her came halfway through eating. She and Alyssa were talking and Lys said, "Can you believe that Taylor still likes Austin??" (both parties named are also 8 years old). Trying to be the cool mom by fitting in I ask, "Why is that a bad thing?". Hailey, with her still-serious face, scrunches her eyebrows and politely says, "Well, he's rather unfortunate looking, that's all".
I think I shot salsa out through my nose with that. I coughed down a laugh and said, "what??". She repeated it: "He's rather unfortunate looking". My confused stare prompted her to continue, almost in a whisper: "We're not allowed to say the 'U' word at home". Alyssa though about that for a second and asked, "doesn't 'unfortunate' start with a 'U' ?" I laughed. "I think she means the word 'ugly'. She can't say that word." She nodded and went on chatting. I liked this kid. She talked about her three brothers next, politely describing all of them...until she got to her oldest brother (he's 10). "I think he's incorrigible", and keeps eating. Alyssa, this time, shoots something out through her nose. "He's that bad?", she says. This time I look at both of them in disbelief. I'm dumbfounded! I had to look up the spelling of "incorrigible" just to put it in this letter! "Alyssa," I ask, "how in the world do you know what that word means when I can't even spell it???". She looks at me with a matter-of-fact look and says, "It was in The Sound of Music. One of the VonTrapp children, when introducing himself to Maria, says that the last governess called him 'incorrigible'. I just figured it was a bad thing since they were talking about a boy." Who can argue with that logic? When dinner was over I asked my usual question: Did everyone get enough to eat? Hailey smiles, holding an empty plate and says, "Oh, yes. That was quite satisfying. Thank you." I'm guessing that she got the word-a-day calendar for Christmas...and is using it!
Do you remember her now? That is Hailey and let me just say.....BOY, HAS SHE EVER CHANGED IN A YEAR'S TIME!!! Wow. I first noticed it at breakfast (I was at the sink washing dishes - I haven't pawned that off on any child yet) when we talked about the trip we'd be taking to the mall that day. She said she'd like to buy some earrings today, but not anything too ugly. UGLY!!! I spun around, wide eyed, and said, "Hailey, you said 'ugly'!!". She looked at me as if I had 3 heads. "So?". I turned back to my dishes. Wow!
The last thing that happened (which made me REALLY notice the change) was on the way to the mall. We went to a mall that was about an hour away (because they have a Nordstrom's), so naturally the radio was playing for a long time. I let the girls pick the station (I had sucked down a handful of Advil anticipating this) and they didn't let me down. Yes, all the music that parents just VOMIT when they hear it came through my speakers, and shockingly....Hailey knew all the words and was singing (rapping) at the top of her little voice. One song in particular made me laugh out loud -- in disbelief. It was at that moment that I realized that nothing is sacred. They took a perfectly innocent children's song and mutilated it. Here's a link to it, and make sure your speakers are turned on. It will start playing after the commercial. You won't believe it: http://www.blastro.com/player/jibbschainhanglow.html 
That being said (what is happening to today's youth???), here are a few pictures from Ryan's tree. He would be 30 today and I would probably laugh at him and call him old! Rember how, when we were little kids, we though that people who were 30 were ANCIENT!!! Ha! Sorry this one of Sidney is blurry. She wanted to show off the new colors on her braces. The rubberbands are now navy and silver, her school's colors. She still loves them!
Here is a shot from the street to show you how full the branches are. Doesn't it look great?
A few more of the tree and I'll close this up. The first on is from last February and the other is present day. Hasn't the trunk gotten thick??? Have a good week and we'll chat again soon!
Love to all,
Amy and the girls
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