Reverse Ombre

So apparently, ombres and reverse ombres are all the rage these days.  I didn't even know what they were when Chloe told me that she wanted one. No, she needed one. Either that, or teal streaks in her hair. It was then that I instantly googled "reverse ombre". Hmmm. Not so bad. I could live with it. But I certainly wasn't just running right out and getting her one. After talking with Daddy, we decided that she may earn her reverse ombre.

We made a deal that if she would work on thinking before she speaks, not talking back and watching the tone of her voice, then we would agree to let her get a reverse ombre at the end of a month's time. Anything good is worth waiting for, right? She now had a huge motivating factor to work on something that is a real challenge for her. She was pumped! She couldn't wait. We also agreed that if Daddy or I caught her speaking with unkindness or talking back, the month would start all over again. 

We weren't looking for perfection, we were looking for a heart change. We knew she would mess up. That's the biggest part of learning. But having this incentive seemed to achieve something our mere words alone could not do. I found her biting her tongue a lot. Not literally, obviously. But she truly gained character during the process of purposefully keeping this task before her. I am so proud of her.

We waited slightly longer than a month. She stopped asking when she was going to get it. Then one day before school I surprised her and said, "Honey, I hope you're ready for your hair appointment this afternoon after school." The sun radiated through her smile.

She is now the proud owner of a reverse hombre and good character. Win/win!

Sixth Grade Selfies

Yesterday, as Chloe and I sat waiting in the car for Chuck she lets out a little giggle and announces:

"I feel a selfie coming on!"

Not in a million years would you have ever heard those words proceed from my mouth as a sixth grader. Number one, sixth grade. Awkward. Not my best moment in the time/space continuum for self portrait taking. Number two, our phones were still attached to the wall and were not yet equipped with tiny, microscopic cameras (much to my Dad's chagrin). Number three. It was the 80's. Enough said.

So, I'm getting to live my middle school years all over again with Chloe. So when she 'feels a selfie coming on', so do I.  We were in the car, at dark, using only a dome light. Not the best lighting for our moment of stardom. But we managed. You do what you gotta do, I suppose. We're a bit grainy, but we are rocking the pose (I've learned from the Selfie-Queen herself).

Pouty Pucker

Smirky Smile

Goofy Girls