Throwback Thursday - Nani's To Do List

I love the concept of Throwback Thursday.  So instead of posting a picture today, I thought I'd share one of my favorite blog posts.  This one was originally posted in October 2009 when Nani was only 4.  Enjoy!

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Ok, so my whole family knows that I am a compulsive list maker. I have lists that refer me to lists. I have a list for everything.....groceries, daily tasks, weekly tasks, monthly tasks, craft projects, books to read, blogs to write.....and the list (no pun intended) goes on.

And then I thought.....what if Nani had a to-do list? What would a 4-year old Disney-princess loving, preschool-going, ballet-dancing little girl possibly have on her list? I think, like mommy, she would have a couple of lists....one for mommy and one for daddy......and maybe even one for Nudgie.

But for fun, I think I'll start with Daddy's list.......

Nani's To-Do List for a day with Daddy....

Scam daddy into feeding me chocolate cake for breakfast and then tell mommy that it was Zoja's idea.

Reassure daddy that I really do like to wear matching socks and coordinated clothes.

Teach daddy how to finally do my hair the way mommy does and show him that combing my hair does not involve scissors and the use of words that I'm never supposed to say.

Show daddy the channels for Sproutlets and Disney so that I don't have to watch the Military Channel ever again.


Tell daddy that teaching me the ABCs does not include learning to spell the entire starting lineup for the Pittsburgh Penguins. (Stupid Russian names....what 4-yr. old knows how to spell Fedotenko & Evgeni??)

Apologize to daddy for calling one of his favorite players Satan, when his real name is pronounced Sha-tan


Tell daddy that when I ask him to play with me & my Legos, that I really don't need to have a full-scale reproduction of a Blackhawk helicopter....a simple little house for my dolls will do just fine.


Show daddy that I finally learned to "Rock On"

Let daddy know where my favorite books are so that I don't get another bedtime story from the Army Times newspaper. (Once upon a time there was a soldier.....)

Apologize to God when Daddy asks me to pray for free happy hour after work.


Give daddy the biggest hug ever and tell him that he's still my favoritest daddy ever!

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I Have a 2nd Grader!

Well, the first day of school arrived! I now officially have a 2nd Grader!!!

The Back-To-School Fairy paid a visit during the night and left Danjela a handwritten note along with some very special 2nd Grader pencils for homework!

Then we had our special "First Day of School Breakfast" - funny face pancakes!

Then before we left for school, we took our pictures outside by the tree. We've been taking school pictures every year since Danjela started preschool. We'll do the same thing for Nadija next week when she starts!

Nudgie tried to sneak her backpack out of the house too.....packed with her new school shoes.....

After school, we got home and had a snack. I found this awesome "After School" printable and loved the idea behind it. Instead of printing off multiple copies, I just put it into a picture frame and added a dry erase marker. This way, every day she can share about her day....and every once in awhile, we'll take a picture of it to send to Daddy. Today's was all about doing math drill and playing with her new friends.

Overall, I think she's going to have a great year. Her teacher is absolutely wonderful. When we met her at orientation, Danjela told her that her daddy was gone for a year. Ms. Watson took her by the hand and pulled her over to the side and I heard her tell Danjela "Why don't you tell me more about that...." Right there, I knew she was going to have a great teacher and that I didn't need to worry.

And I still can't believe I have a 2nd grader!!!

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Nani is an Artist!

So last week, I was leaving Nani's parent/teacher conference and ran into her art teacher in the hallway. He looked at me and said, "Congratulations!" The confused look on my face must have shown because he went on to explain that one of Nani's pieces of art was chosen to represent her school for the Youth Art Month Celebration which would be displayed during the Arts and Humanities Center's Annual Art Show.

Needless to say, we're so, so proud of her!!

So tonight was the private reception and viewing for the "artists" and their families.  Nani's art teacher also presented her with a Certificate of Achievement recognizing her hard work.

I guess it's time to pull out the oil pastels and some new art supplies!!

Nani's art work - "Pattern Elephant" in water colors

See!  That's mine!

Nani and her AWESOME art teacher!

So proud of my little artist!!

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My Daughter Said the "U" Word.....

For Valentine's Day, we, My Marine got the girls each a pink rose, a card, and a basket of goodies.  The card, I thought, was super cute.....Disney Princesses....and when you opened it up....there was one of those aluminum foil mirrors and the inside of the card basically said, you're a princess too, when you looked in the mirror.

So last night, we're putting the girls to bed and I hear this conversation:

My Marine - "No you're not!"

Nani - "Yes, I am"

My Marine - "Don't you ever say that again...."

Now I'm thinking....what the heck is going on???

So I call Nani into Nudgie's room and ask what's going on.  And what she said made my heart drop......

"I'm Ugly"

My heart just sank.  She's 7.

I looked at her and asked her why she thought that.  She said that when she looked at the card, she was ugly.  (Meaning that awful distorted aluminum foil mirror in the card).  I looked her square in the eye and told her that she is a beautiful little girl - inside and out.  I turned her around so that she was looking in her sister's mirror and asked her if she saw the same image that she saw in the card.  She shook her head.

I told her that the card was just one of those funny mirrors like we see at the amusement parks....they're supposed to be funny.  But, she obviously didn't take it that way.

After giggling a little more about the card, we tried to explain to her even more that she was beautiful -- and that God made her beautiful.  I told her that pretty is not only on the outside.....but also on the inside, in the way she acts and speaks.  I explained to her that pretty isn't always having your hair done right or wearing matching clothes - buts it's also the way she's nice to her sister, and to her friends, and being respectful to those around her.

I'm trying to teach her that it's not always about the looks.  I want her to believe that she's beautiful without always having to look in the mirror.  I want her to believe that she's pretty without always having to be told.

She's only 7..........

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I Have A First Grader!!

It came just way too fast.  My baby started First Grade yesterday.

Nani's been bouncing off the walls for about 2 weeks now.  Couldn't wait to use her pink sparkly backpack.  Couldn't wait to meet her new teacher.  Couldn't wait to wear her new school clothes.

The day finally arrived and I wanted to make her first day special.

While wasting a day sucked into Pinterest browsing Pinterest one evening, I came across this fabulous idea for the "Back-To-School Fairy".  Such a CUTE idea!  I wrote the note with my left hand to make it look like a child wrote it.  She's become quite the little writer over the summer, so as a gift, I got Nani a new journal and a pink pen to write all about her adventures in first grade. 

For breakfast that morning, I made heart and teddy bear shaped pancakes topped with whipped cream and strawberries.  I think she was pretty surprised, don't you?

Then we had to take our yearly first day picture in our front yard.  There's a tree in our front yard and ever since Nani started preschool, we've taken her first day picture in front of that tree.  This year was no different.

And there she goes...

And of course, Nudgie had to get ready for school too.  She has her own little lunch bag (which was filled with a Barbie shoe, her stuffed doggie, and her play telephone).  Sorry, little one -- I get to hold on to you one more year!

I didn't realize, until I was looking through the pictures last night, that My Marine caught this moment between me and Nani.  I held back the tears (both then and when I saw this picture).  I just didn't want to let her go.  But Nani, so wise for her 6 years, said to me, "I know you're going to miss me mommy, but I have to go so I can learn."

Off she goes!!  Not even a look back!

While she was at school, I baked some cookies for us to have as an after-school snack while she told us all about her day.  It's something that I hope to keep up with, if not every day, then at least a couple days a week.

And so it begins.......every day, my baby takes another step away from me and out on her own.  I'm so proud of the little girl that she's become and hope and pray for the woman that she will be.

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Wordless Wednesday - She's Growing Up

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Tiny Dancer

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Mother's Day

I wanted to share a couple pictures of what Nani gave me for Mother's Day. 

The first was a framed handprint poem that she made in school. 



Everyday I am exploring

Touching everything I've found

I leave behind my little marks

and handprints all around

You clean up those handprints

But someday when I've grown

You'll wish you had just one

handprint to keep for your own

I made this handprint for you

So that one day when I am tall

You'll remember what my hand looked like

Long ago when I was small

Then she also wrote this little story which her teacher laminated as well.

I love Mommy.  I will give her a pitcher (picture).  I love you more than all the stars in the sky.  I love when you gives me a big hug.  I love you.

Needless to say, as I kept reading these all day long, I was one huge blubbering mess!!!

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Future Homemaker?

I've made no bones about it. I was never a career-minded woman. I worked because I had to. At times I enjoyed what I did -- the opportunity to travel, meet wonderful people (and celebrities). But I hated the grind....I hated living in Washington DC and having to get up at 4am for an hour and a half commute one way.

I never wanted a career. My career was to be a wife and mother. And when that finally happened, I was content. I reached my goal.

As a mother, I want the best for my daughters. I want them to be happy with their choices in life. I want them to be the best at what they do. If they choose a career-path, I will love them and support them. If they choose to be a mother and wife, I will love them and support them.

Regardless of what they choose, I would hope that I am instilling in them some homemaking skills.  I may not be the best housekeeper, but I can still teach them that Clorox Wipes and a Swiffer can be your best friend.  I may not be the best cook, but I can still teach them recipes that have been handed down from my mother, my grandmother, and my great grandmother.  I may not be the best mother, but I can still love them with all my heart and soul and make them the center of my universe.

I've often wondered......if girls are raised in a home with a stay home mom, are they more likely to become stay home moms themselves?  What made me wonder this was a sweet moment that I caught Nani in the Saturday before Easter.

I was preparing to bake my traditional Easter bread.  It involves a lot of kneading and getting flour all over you, but Nani quietly asked if she could help me.  I watched her face light up as I said yes and watched as she ran for her little apron.  She ran and got her little step stool and placed it at the table next to me.  As she stepped up, she listened carefully to what I had to teach her and then asked for a turn.

I stood back and watched as she took what I taught her and tried on her own.


Love the whole look - the skirt, the apron, the bare feet, kneading homemade bread



I was so proud of her.  Proud of her for trying.  Proud of her for starting to explore options for what her future could be - whether it's mom or working woman.

By the way -- her bread tasted FABULOUS!

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