@frogtown_hollow & @albright_c nailed our xmas gift this year ❤🌲😙👌

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Starting School, for Realsies

Dear Babes,
(I am writing this months after the fact, I will not relinquish this diary for you both to the busy minutia of life.  I sware!) 

Big events in the Thompsons.  You are both at the same school this year!  Excitement built days before the big launch to two Thompsons in all day school.  You created your first days signs, cultivated your look for the first day and cleaned out book bags readying lunch boxes. For Henry this was an old hat, but admittedly with new hair.  This summer we allowed you to try dying your hair various colors.  First it was cyan, then purple for the first day of school.  Hazel patiently waited through a small bleach and reddened strip after your pro haircut.  I feel mama did a pretty great job for a first time. 

Daddy and I shared in the first day send off and brought you into school.  You two hugged and went to your respective rooms.  Hazel you couldn't really wait for us to leave and you were already gathering friends around you.  You were gung ho for about three days and then excited exhaustion bore down and you begged to just stay home with mama.  I had to vow each morning to snuggle time immediately after returning home from pick up.  I don't mind that one bit.

Teachers told me that you, Henry would check in on Hazel during the day that first week.  About three weeks in Hazel, you told me that, "during the day you go to Henry's cubby and smell the stuff in it because you miss Henry so much.  Though your classrooms are next door to each other you don't get the opportunity to be with each other frequently.  When it came time for passions class, though, the second and third cycles you were in the same classroom.  That was exciting for your both for a short time.

As far as mama, I have been working the photography game as much as possible.  I have had a lot of work!  I have almost been too busy to notices the difference but I do notice.  I miss the cuddle time in the after noon with your sweet lil arms wrapped around me.  On the days I don't have any work, I don't have any appointments, I don't have a project I feel a little lost without my two buddies.  I look forward to picking you up each day and sometimes it is hard to just wait until 3:20. 

I have taken up volunteering in your kindergarten classroom, Hazel.  I help and work with mostly other students but I feel my little magnet pulling me in all day.  I have made lots of little friends but when it is cool down time after play time it is my little buddy I sprawl on the floor with for a quick cuddle. 

I can't believe we are here.  All the basic firsts checked off  the long list.  Now, we just wait as you get older and older and forge your own life and relationships.  It is all good, but, admittedly, if I ruminate too long I might feel a little tear slip down my face. 
I love you both so much.  I love seeing your successes this year at school. 
Love, Mommy

Don't worry, the people at the polls said that the voting machines know to make the kids votes only worth 1/2 a vote

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Henry T wanted to wear this today, and I wondered whether the words "Pushead" and "Hand-me-down" had ever been used in the same sentence #Pushead #Zorlac #ScottStanton

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I had a good run 💀

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Hair Cuts

Dear Hazelita, 
It was time.  School was starting. Kindergarten.  Your long hair, though beautiful and your favorite toy to flip around to express yourself was easily a tangled snarl of sticky food crusted vines, on a good day.  Washing, conditioning and combing was a task of will and yelling... so about 6 inches or more, had to go.  I was sad to depart with what was essentially your baby hairs you entered into the world with, soft and delicate.  You are no longer a soft and delicate baby though and a big girl cut was the plan.  

We went to Parlor Royale.  You love the fancy shop and all the women there with unique do's of every color.  You sat up in the big chair and shewed me away as I tired to take photos of the important moment.  You had chit chat to do.  

You were excited as she swung the chair around and the mirror revealed a swingy below the shoulder hair cut. Still long, but shorter, manageable and super cool.  

You shouted out with the upmost glee, "I love it!" and you obliged the stylist with a picture or two as you spent the next 5 minutes flipping it around.  I think it looks fresh and full of life, and other than pictures to the contrary you hardly notice it isn't down to your butt. 

Sweet sharing these style mile stones with you, the next step was to bleach out part of it and make it vibrant red.  Those photos to come. 
I love you, 

Mama

In 1988 at the NSA Vert Regionals in Dayton I was waiting outside the back of Hara Arena to watch the pros coming out, and this guy had been standing next to me for about 5 minutes... when I turned my head and looked at him it was The Gonz, and he looked at me for a second, put his finger up to his lips and goes "Shhhhh" and walked away ✌✌

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