She's Crafty

So I've been down and out this week with a bit of flu-like symptoms that started right after we made s'mores.... (Doc said today that my flu test was negative... so no worries!)... anyways, today I spent the entire day asleep recuperating. Amber walks in the door at 330 and informs me that she REALLY wants to participate in a project assignment - a contest... to create something about the Forest. That is what they have been learning about. I asked her what she meant, and she was talking about how you take a shoe box and turn it into a scene... I said ok, when is it due? She says "Tomorrow! but I REALLY want to do it!" apparently the assignment was sent home weeks ago, which we never saw, because Amber loves to "fold" her notes to "save them" for me... instead of leaving them in her backpack... that and the fact that sometimes she goes to two other places after school... the likelyhood that Mommy actually sees the notes or assignments are slim....

So off to the store we go, and we come up with the idea of using the pictures from our trip to the Buffalo River as the backdrop, and ended up making a replica of the Ozarks, complete with a river damed by a beaver, with an otter floating lazily on its back....

After picking up her supplies, we stopped at the shoe store - since her feet have grown soo much since August's shoe trip. She's now in a size 13.5.... and we got a cute pair of tennis shoes AnD some sassy lady boots.... She was strutting around the store in her little shorts and her fringy boots.... thinking she was too cool for school.... THEN we found the perfect dress for her "sharpay" costume for Halloween.... all in all we've had Quite the productive day! Not bad for 2 days of "flu"

Smores in the City

The cold weather is upon us, or at least COOL weather is upon us. I have enjoyed the 60 degree days as of late, and of course Fall being my favorite season I am very welcoming indeed of sweaters and fleece jackets!

Last weekend was the Amethyst Ball. We had a great time supporting the Arkansas Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

We also went shopping to get Amber a few jackets and a coat for the upcoming chill. She got a very cute Zebra fleece, and a few other hoodies and a gorgeous fuschia peacoat and a new scarf. The girl is growing like a weed. The other night she was wearing her costume from last year, and someone said what a cute "top" she was wearing....(it was a dress last year!) She also informed me last night that the shoes we bought just 3 months ago - a half size bigger than she needed - are now crowding her toes! I suspect she will be getting taller in the coming weeks/month.

Yesterday, Morgan picked out an amazing firepit at the store. We've been wanting one for a long time, and so the cold/rain inspired us to take action! It was REALLY heavy, but we made it to the backyard without breaking a nail, back or each other.

Last night we decided to break in the pit with some toe warming and s'mores for dessert. It was a great evening!

Morgan's Birthday Week

Amber is King of the Buffalo!

This is Murphy, we got to feed him apples and pet him. Very beautiful horse!

It has been a crazy week to Celebrate Morgan's Birthday. We had plans to start with golf, but it has rained for 7 days here, so that obviously didn't work! With all the work we have piling up, I decided it would be a perfect weekend to hit the buffalo river. We stayed at a friend's cabin, which was full of wildlife sightings as well as some pretty awesome 4-wheeling....After her first ride she said TAKE MY PICTURE! I want to pretend to drive!

We tried for a fire, but unfortunately we were IN clouds, so wet wood did not work. We built one in the cabin instead.
Sunday cleared up, so we stayed for the majority of the day, putting us home at 10 pm! It was totally worth it, as now not only does Amber want a 4-wheeler, she's all about canoeing as well!

The leaves had just begun to change, and we were blessed with a wide range of weather... 54 degrees Friday night, and almost 80 with big fluffy clouds today!

Last Day of Summer

Wow, Summer seems like it lasted forever this year... but I'm sure Amber would not say the same thing. School starts tomorrow, and we've got quite a busy day ahead of us!

This morning I had to take my car into the shop, they tell me it may be next week before its fixed, so I'm back in a sedan... which is weird, as I have gotten used to the view from 6 feet above the pavement..... Morgan has sold the red rocket and just left to finalize his paperwork on his new car, so now we have two family friendly cars!

In a bit, we will be going to shoot a commercial - Amber and I. She has been so excited, and dressed for it since she got out of the shower this morning. She's done background work before, this is my first time to be in the background - I have done probably 75 commercials with speaking roles before... this should be cake! All we have to do is play by the pool.

After the commercial, we're off to the dentist's office. Amber is not looking forward to that, and neither am I. I've already put about 2500 dollars in that mouth, and she doesn't even have braces! I swear, of all the things to get from me, my porous teeth were not something I wished upon her! Hopefully the grown up teeth will be stronger, tho we are no where close to losing a tooth!

After the dentist we get to go find out who our teacher is, which of her friends are in her class and basically start the build up for tomorrow! Hopefully we will have time to go to the pool afterwards, as we are probably going to be in bathing suits all day due to our schedule!

I can't believe my little girl is going into the second grade! I'm glad I got to spend the last two weeks of summer with her, I am blessed to be booked solid for the next month or so, and will miss watching Alf and Annie and all the fun activities we did!

What a week!

We started the week with another session with the counselor. Amber is learning how to deal with things that overwhelm her in a more positive light. I am starting to see some skills the doctor has taught her emerge in her daily life, and have been impressed by her 'handling' of situations that felt like they could have sent her over the edge... as they would have months ago. We've come a long way, but still have a long way to go.

It amazes me to watch her grow into a mindful, empathetic young person. She has logic, and reason, and questions things. We are raising her to be a free thinker. One who is aware. One who questions, respectfully, on a path to the truth - one she finds on her own.

On the path to enlightenment with my daughter, our conversation tonight focused on a parable. Lesson learned, as summarized by my 7 year old: "the only thing we ever REALLY know is that we don't know everything." yes. Yes my dear. that is correct. that was exactly the point of the parable.

Business is booming for the Pile Household. Both of our businesses are on a hot streak. Things are looking up, and the top is not in sight. Change of scenery makes all the difference!

progress and meltdowns

Ah, today.... could have been a good day. We discussed the progress Amber was making, as we were sitting with the doctor... all great signs of growth in the face of adversity. We had to leave camp early today, as the appointment was at 4. When we returned to pick up a friend, Amber was informed that her group of friends, that had all formed a club under her leadership.... well... they flew the coup in her absence and all joined other groups or formed new groups. I am watching her face in the rear view mirror the entire time... knowing all to well what is to come, and I feel the pain for her. "you can be in OUR club... and be Vice President" the little girl tells her... "we make sandcastles on Wednesdays"..... no, amber says I do not want to be in your club, MY club makes sandcastles on Mondays. all in all, the whole idea of the group sounds pretty petty... but the keen observation is this:

1. Amber, though highly disappointed, is keeping her cool, visibly upset by the outcome, but composed enough to survive the car ride home, all the while being reminded that non of her friends are in her club any more.
2. Her friends that 'left' to join the 'sassy girls' (aka mean little shits) probably didn't need to be in her club in the first place.
3. Amber is a natural leader, and in her absence the weaker girls fell back, and would most likely return apon her arrival at camp tommorrow.

I think we have survived, amber seems to have shaken it off, and wants to go swimming with the friend, so off they go. When I pick her up from the pool, she mentions the club, and I told her "no matter what, I will ALWAYS be in your club".... and the floodgates open. she is sobbing so hard that she is gagging on the snot running down her face. "But I made 1/2 the girls president and 1/2 the girls vice president while I was gone and they just QUIT...." she says... "its not FAIR... no one is in my club except you...." "I let EVERYONE be in my club, and now they are all in different clubs, and I have no one" this goes on for an hour or two, until I finally get her to remember how many cool friends she has that will always be in her club, and that if the other girls don't want to be in the club, that is fine. Your other club goes all year, not just for a few weeks out of the year, and then falls apart when you go home an hour early! Think about all the people who can't wait to see you again! They are still your friend the next day... right? Those are real friends.

Tomorrow morning might still be a struggle... and I hope that the balance of power levels out before she's gone for 2 weeks.... I can't handle the thought of this carrying over... it took everything in my being to not break down and cry with her... she has to learn such hard lessons so young! (or is she just getting that old?)

ugh.... I'm starting to think maybe having a boy won't be so hard!

Vacation.... part deux

Amber made a princess sand village, complete with a mall with gowns for the ball, and houses for poor people....(her words)
Ahhh.. nothing like your toes in the sand!
I-10 was shut down for a few hours, so we stopped in Alabama at the Sam's Warehouse sized fireworks store.... $200 bucks later, Amber became the most popular kid on the beach when we were handing out fireworks to her new friends... we got tired of shooting them all! some were like the ones you see at the city fireworks show!
I had to take this picture, as we have a similar one from when Amber was about 4 years old...gamma has it hanging on her wall!





So we had to take another vacation... Amber didn't get to go on the first one, so we loaded up the car and took a trip with the whole family (even Thor got to go) down to Destin Florida for the 4th of July!


We got a condo on the golf course, across the street from the beach. Beautiful white sands and turquoise waters, similar to the view that our wedding beach had... but sunsets weren't on the water, and the beach was rather small, comparatively. Still a beautiful trip.

We had so much fun! Morgan bet Amber she couldn't remember everything she did, so she started listing it.... and five minutes later STILL had not named all of the activities! She really did turn into a fish while in Florida, boogie boarding, body surfing, wave jumping, snorkeling - even had a small run in with a jelly fish and some sting rays while in town. As soon as we got to the beach, she took off, running in circles, dancing around like a kite in the wind... that child is starting to get the same recharge from the ocean breeze that Morgan and I do!
yummy crablegs.. right on the beach on the 4th of july... after dinner, we walked down the stairs, and set up 'camp' for the sunset and upcoming fireworks display! we had two large shows going on (one on each end of the beach) as well as our own. As Amber declared: This was the BEST 4th OF JULY EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!