This Little Girl Has Big Plans

Last night as I was helping the girls get ready for bed Merritt said, "I can do it all by myself! I'm growing up, Momma and one day I'm going to be a beauty shop owner so I need to start doing everything by myself!" Go for it sister!

Momma Needs A Hobby, That's Why!

After seeing a Facebook posting by a friend telling about her art teacher starting a beginner painter class, I found myself enrolled! I've always loved art and beamed when 3 year old Morgan started telling everyone she wanted to be an artist when she grew up, and a firefighter! I think if I had to answer the question, "If you could do anything, what would it be?" I would answer, "Be an artist." A children's book illustrator to be exact. Not sure why I never took any art classes other than an elective in high school and an Art History class in college. I guess it didn't seem practical and I was afraid I had no talent. Anyway, 2 months later, I have completed my first still life and have begun a landscape. I'm not sure that I have talent but I really look forward to my weekly class.

The girls have found interest in this new outlet of mine! I think they aren't sure why Momma is starting something new. When I brought my still life home, Merritt asked, "Why are you taking a painting class?" Before I could answer, Morgan quickly responded, "Merritt, Momma needs a hobby, that's why! All she does is sit around the house while we are at school! She needed to find something to do while we were gone!" Oh, my! I couldn't even respond to that one! Rest assured, for the rest of the week, I made sure Morgan knew what I had done while she was at school!

Times ~ They Are A Changin'!

We recently received the news that Merritt would be attending her sister's elementary school next year for kindergarten! We are all so proud of Merritt for scoring so well in the testing process not only because it will make carpool simpler on Momma but also so she can have the same experiences her sister has had! Shortly after the excitement, reality set in!

No longer will it be Morgan's school! Morgan is proud of Merritt but not sure she wants to share the school with her! It all came to blows Friday morning when we helped Morgan get to class with some snacks. As we were walking to the classroom a 5th grade girl none of us recognized waved and said, "Hi, Merritt!" Morgan quickly shot me a look as if saying, "Are you kidding me, Momma! I don't even know her!" I asked Merritt if she knew who the girl was and she said, "No, but everybody knows my name!" Aunt Amy might have to offer some counsel this summer on how to handle a little sister in the same school! What Morgan doesn't realize is the next 3 years will be a blink to her mother and the next time these two will be in school together will be when Merritt is a freshman and Morgan is a senior! Reality sure does stink! Just when I thought the two sisters would never share another kind word or look, I walked in on them after church to find.....

Big sister teaching little sister how to read! I guess she decided if she has to share the school with Merritt, she might as well make sure she's the smartest in her class!

A Snowy Day ~ An ArtBreak Entry

A story Merritt wrote at school was entered in a local student's art festival, ArtBreak. Her teacher gave me a copy of the story today. Morgan also had a literary work entered this year. They are both excited to go to the festival this weekend and see their stories on display!

A Snowy Day

by Merritt Hughes

One cold February day it snowed. I thought it was good. My grandparents brought my family a sled that they saved for a very long time. They were waiting for it to snow so we could use the sled. My sister and I went sledding in the front yard. We got on the sled and my daddy used the rope to pull us. My daddy is really strong. There is a little tree in the front yard that we tried to go around together, but we fell in the snow. My sister tried to go around the tree by herself and she didn't fall! Then I tried it by myself and I didn't fall, either! We were outside playing on the sled for a long time. We were getting really cold so we went inside and had some hot chocolate. It was a fun day.