Meet the Stepmonkeys

Skinny Minnie* is 10, going on 17. She's into all things popular- vampire movies, teen heartthrobs, the "fashion" found in perfume-overloaded mall stores. If it's "in", she wants it. And it's SO NOT FAIR if she can't have it. ALL her friends have everything, and she has nothing. We are so mean!
Minnie is going into middle school next month and has dreams of completely reinventing herself. She wants new hair, contacts, new clothes, makeup, a new car for us to drive her around in, and possibly a few piercings, if it's not too much to ask. She talks daily about the new life she's planning. She has put a lot of thought into which group she plans to join in middle school. "Going Goth" is my least favorite of these options. She has mentioned dying her hair, wearing all black, and piercing her lip. Ugh.
I think mostly she just wants to be liked. She tends to smother people just wanting so badly to be their best friend. She gets her feelings hurt easily, and frankly sending her to middle school feels like feeding her to the wolves.
Minnie is one of the sweetest kids you'll ever meet. Always taking care of everyone and wanting everyone to be happy. I hope she doesn't lose that.






Skinny Minnie, at the beach and enjoying swimming








Quiz* is 5 and full of energy. The kid asks questions from the moment he wakes up and never takes a break. Sometimes I get so sucked into his line of questioning, that I don't even realize I've answered 57 questions in the span of 2 minutes. He's exhausting! I think I'd lose 50 lbs if I lived a day in his shoes.
He's starting Kindergarten in the fall and can NOT wait! How many more days? What's my teacher's name? Who's in my class? What bus am I riding? How many more days now?
He loved preschool, and I hope Kindergarten lives up to his expectations.
Quiz is funny, snuggly, energetic, stubborn, and has a slight speech impediment which entertains my husband and me to no end (we checked, it's nothing to be worried about at this point, so don't judge.)








Quiz, at church and playing soccer.










The stepmonkeys are my joy in life. Some days, they make me want to pull my hair out, but mostly they just make me laugh.



*These are not their real names, obviously. I've decided to protect their privacy. (Mostly because if Minnie or any of her friends ever found this, her life would be over. I. Am. So. Embarrassing.)