coral support

I ordered a new bag online recently -- a fun, coral-colored plaid canvas and leather tote that I thought would be perfect for Fall. Not my most practical purchase, but I'd admired it since I saw it at full price, and at 50% off I couldn't pass it up. When it arrived today, I debated if I should keep it and tossed it on the bed where Ella found it later.

I was getting ready in the bathroom when I heard Ella shriek, "Mom! This is awesome!" She came through the doorway holding the bag.

"You like it?" I asked.

"Yes! I love it!"

"You think I should keep it? It was kind of expensive."

"How much?"

"Almost $50."

"Totally."

"Really?"

"Yes, Mom! You can wear this for the whole Fall season!"

all tied up

Today the girls asked if they could play in the front yard. I said they could, and when I went outside to see how they were doing a few minutes later I found Audrey and Lauren sitting lazily on the flagstone. Around their waists were ropes tied to the wrought iron railings. Ella was weeding. "Your dogs are tied up, I see," I said to her. "Yeah," she said nonchalantly, "They were just getting a little out of control."

And there were Audrey and Lauren, just sitting, gazing off into the distance, looking as bored as any tied up dogs you've ever seen.

greens

As we sat at the dinner table Ella asked, "Mom, do you mind if I have some salad?"

"Of course not. What would you like?"

"I think I'll have some mixed greens," she said as she got up from the table, "and a dressing my choice." As she helped herself, she announced, "I want to eat a cup of green a day."

"That's great, Ella. Why?"

"So my toots don't stink so bad."

tables turned

Last night I got an email from one of the mothers of another student in Lauren's class. She asked if Lauren could join her daughter, Olivia, for a play date Friday after school. I accepted, and looked forward to sharing the news with Lauren.

There have been many times when Ella has been invited to play with a school friend and, naturally, Lauren hasn't been asked to join them. Most of those times there were tears, and hugs (and maybe a sweet, little something from my stash), as I reminded her that sometimes friends don't invite sisters who aren't their friends.

This morning I announced to Lauren, "Guess what? You have a play date on Friday with Olivia."

"I do?!" She could hardly believe it.

"Hey!" Ella protested. "Why don't I have a play date?"

Reflexively, Lauren said, "You can come, too, Ella."

"Actually," I interrupted, "Only you are invited, Lauren." I waited for her reaction.

"Only me?"

"Yes."

She actually gasped, and then I watched her little, round mouth turn up ever so slowly into an absolutely huge smile that spread across her entire face. It reminded me of the Grinch, except that it was really, really adorable. Ella wasn't swayed.

"I should be invited, too."

"Re-mem-ber, Ella," Lauren said, "Sometimes a friend doesn't invite a sister who isn't her friend."

things overheard while cleaning the bathrooms

Ella: "I get to clean our bathroom!"

Lauren: "No. I get to clean our bathroom."

Me: "You can clean my bathroom, Lauren."

Lauren: (inspecting the toilet) "Hmmm. The other one is dirtier. I want the dirty one."

Ella: "Mom, we're having a contest to see who can make their bathroom the cleanest. And you can't just say that they're both the same. You have to be the hardest judge in the world."

Me: "Ella, I think a half a bottle of Soft Scrub will be plenty for the sink."

Lauren: (squirting cleaner into the toilet): "Mmmmm, Minty! Look, Mom. I'm so good at cleaning the toilet! It's so . . . sparkly."

Me: "Audrey, you can stop cleaning the floor now. It's all done. Really. All done." She burst into tears.

Ella: "Mom, can I scrub the toilet by myself. Please?"

Me: "Lauren, could you bring me the Folex?"

Lauren, reappearing moments later, strikes a pose, ready to spray: "It's Folex here! On the job!"

Ella: "Everybody! Get off of my clean floor!"

Me: "Lauren, could you bring me a white trash bag?"

Lauren, holding it open as wide as possible: "I've got it! Look at me! I'm so strong."

Lauren: "I love cleaning the bathroom! Heeheehee . . ."

It would have been easier to do it myself, but I'm going to enjoy this while it lasts.

security

Today is the big day! Lauren's first school play date. She was clearly thinking about it, as she has all week, while eating her raisin bran this morning. "Mom," she said, "I really miss you when I'm at school. Maybe when you come to take Ella home I could give you a hug before I go with Olivia and her mom?"

When I met Lauren at the school doors I gave her a big hug, as requested. A few minutes later, Olivia's mom appeared to take the girls home to play. Lauren detached her backpack from her lunchbox and held it to her chest. "Lauren don't you want me to take your backpack, too?"

"No."

"Really? Why?"

She whispered back, "You know why." But I really didn't.

"Why?"

She motioned for me to bend over and whispered in my ear, "Blankie."

"Oh," I said, standing up again. "Let me help you put your backpack on." She smiled. And off she went.

the best books

I'm happy to say, I've got the girls loving Little House on the Prairie. They choose to watch it after school almost every day.

I'm even happier to say that Ella picked out the first book in the Little House series at the library this week. She asked the librarian if she could renew it next week, just in case it takes her too long to finish it. He reassured her that she could. And so, she embarked on it yesterday and announced (as she read in the car on the way to school this morning), "Mom, I'm already on page 37! This book is so big, I wasn't sure I could finish reading it. But now I can't stop! It's not like reading Judy Moody, or those other books. It's like really being there and watching the story. Ya know?"

I know!

tables turned

Last night I got an email from one of the mothers of another student in Lauren's class. She asked if Lauren could join her daughter, Olivia, for a play date Friday after school. I accepted, and looked forward to sharing the news with Lauren.

There have been many times when Ella has been invited to play with a school friend and, naturally, Lauren hasn't been asked to join them. Most of those times there were tears, and hugs, and maybe a sweet little something from my stash, as I reminded her that sometimes friends don't invite sisters who aren't their friends.

This morning I announced to Lauren, "Guess what? You have a play date on Friday with Olivia."

"I do?!" She could hardly believe it.

"Hey!" Ella protested. "Why don't I have a play date?"

Reflexively, Lauren said, "You can come, too, Ella."

"Actually," I interrupted, "Only you are invited, Lauren." I waited for her reaction.

"Only me?"

"Yes."

She actually gasped, and then I watched her little, round mouth turn up ever so slowly into an absolutely huge smile that spread across her entire face. It reminded me of the Grinch, except that it was really, really adorable. Ella wasn't swayed.

"I should be invited, too."

"Re-mem-ber, Ella," Lauren said, "Sometimes a friend doesn't invite a sister who isn't her friend."

big day

Today was the first day of school. I was happy for Ella to be starting second grade, but I'll admit it was a little bittersweet for Lauren to start kindergarten. I had all of the same feelings I'd had with Ella two years earlier. But, like Ella, she was ready. The girls ran ahead of us all the way to school.

Kim and I walked Ella to her locker first. We put her things away and I gave her a big hug. She asked me to kiss her hand, like in the book, The Kissing Hand. Kim gave her a fist bump and yelled after her as she walked to her classroom, "Rock the Casbah!" She smiled.

Next, we took Lauren to her locker. We put away her things, gave her hugs, I kissed her hand, and walked her to her classroom. She strode right in, sat down where she was told, and went to work coloring. She didn't look up when we tried to wave goodbye, which helped, actually.

I thought about the girls all day.

When I picked them up from school Lauren came out first. "How was your first day?" I asked.

"GREAT!" she replied, "I did NOT go to the principal's office. I stayed on green all day."

Way to go.

second annual

Tonight we had our Second Annual Back to School Dinner. I really struggled with the theme this year. After considering several options, I was still trying to come up with just the right one even as I set the table. When I realized I'd forgotten to pick up flowers for the centerpiece, I looked around for what I could use instead. I focused in on my white ceramic owl and it hit me -- Mosiah 4:27.

"And see that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength. And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent, that thereby he might win the prize; therefore, all things must be done in order."

I put my owl on top of a Book of Mormon in the middle of the table, and used them during dinner to explain the theme to the girls. I'm not sure how much Lauren understood, since every time I asked her a question she asked, "Is the owl our clue?" But I'm sure the girls will come to understand the meaning of the scripture more throughout the year.

To be honest, I think this year's theme is as much for me as for them. It will be a good reminder for me as I work each day -- sometimes against considerable resistance -- to help the girls learn the value of daily scripture study, family prayer, jobs, homework and (new this year) piano practice. If we are diligent, it will all be worth the effort.

voice of reason

I took the girls to the mall to return a few things. With Lauren and Audrey in the stroller and Ella trotting alongside we'd be in and out in no time.

I entered the mall through Nordstrom only to discover it was the Half-Yearly Sale. Overflowing racks of discounted shoes beckoned. "Girls," I said, "Let's just look here a minute." I steered the stroller to the end of the 7 aisle for a quick look.

"You don't need any shoes," Lauren said, flatly. "You already have shoes, you don't need any more shoes, and you're not here to buy shoes." It was quiet, then two ladies in separate aisles burst out laughing.

The one closest to me said, "Sounds like your husband has her trained."