Maddie, my girl...

Maddie never ceases to amaze. Just when I start to think she's REALLY acting her age, she blows me away with her wisdom or her take on things. Tonight at bedtime I was talking with her about Matthew... they've been arguing more lately (it seems, although I guess maybe it's still far less than what's typical). I had talked to them both at bedtime (separately) that if he/she chose to honor the other, despite what the other did, think about what a difference that would make! I reminded them that they really don't HAVE to argue back about such 'silly' stuff. She nodded and agreed, but then said to me at the end, "you know, we really don't argue that much compared to others. A boy in my class - he hates his sister. He says, "Wow... you really love your brother." I said, "really?" and she said, "I brag on him all the time." Wow. Who knew. Today she got some really cool news from school: Hello Chipman’s and Plunk’s, I wanted to let you know the good news that we have chosen Maddie and JD to be our “Grandma and Grandpa” for our Grandparents’ Day program this year! They were recommended by their teachers, along with several others, to read for the parts and they did a wonderful job. I was able to tell both of them today and they are very excited! To give you an idea of what this means exactly, let me start by setting up the premise of the show: The theme this year is “Circle of Life”. We will open with a video introducing JD and Maddie in their roles as grandparents. From there, the show will progress with the two of them reminiscing about their history growing up together, from elementary school through marriage and starting their own home and the next generation. Each grade level will perform a song that connects with each stage of their history. The plan is for us to write the script that Maddie and JD will use and to video tape them so they will not have the stress of performing memorized lines live on stage. Also, we’ll be able to use our green screen and put them in different places/time frames. The day of the program, JD and Maddie will be on stage, dressed in the same clothes they wear for the video, but this is mostly to be there as a live ‘visual’ that goes with the video. Here is a way you can help from home: If you could please be looking through their closets and dressers for a “grandparent-type” outfit for each of them to wear, that would be great. PLEASE DO NOT BUY ANYTHING! If you need any ideas or have any questions, please do not hesitate to let me know and I will be happy to help! We will provide any wigs, glasses, props, etc. that will add to the costume. We have not settled on a date to begin video-taping, but I will let you know once a schedule has been set. We are really excited about the show this year and thrilled to have your children participate in this way – they are wonderful students! I talked to each of them separately today, and they both were so excited, yet well-mannered and poised. They are fabulous choices for this! Please let me know if you have any questions or if I can help in any way! Thank you, Lisa On top of all of that, she has been working on her book character day poster for two weeks, and it's not due until 23rd... and she worked on a science t-shirt project and finished it 2 days early - can we all agree (and say Halleluia!) that she seems to NOT have inherited my gift at procrastination! There are times I almost wish she had a tiny touch of it, but I wouldn't want to push my luck. I'm so proud of her!!