Welcoming ....SOPHIE!

Miss E LOVES animals, but she is allergic to most.  We do this token system in our house and Miss E has been working towards getting a bird and this week, she earned enough!!!!

WELCOME.....  Sophie!!!

She is a two year old Quaker Parrot.  She was mainly around animals in her last home and so she mimics parakeets and dogs.  But not too often.  Only a couple of times a day.  Her last owner told us that she didn't like music or people but that has NOT been the case!  She dances to music and squawks if its too boring or quiet around.  She has been GREAT with the girls.  She hasn't bitten and has let the girls hold her a ton and mess with her cage.  Once in a while she does try to hide from them, when she has had enough.  I would too!

Right before bedtime, my dad came over with Sophie, I had bought her a few days before and my parents kept her.  I was so impressed with Miss H and her little ability to keep a secret.  She was with me when we bought Sophie and she didn't say a thing.  And 2 of Miss E's cousins saw her at my parents house and they kept the secret too!  It was fantastic!

 I love Sophie's Colors, lime green with blue and turquoise tail feathers.  When she spreads her wings they are all blue, but the blue is hidden when her wings are close to her body.  Gorgeous!

The next morning....

After School....

 I found Miss E reading Sophie and Miss H a story.  We are trying to teach the girls that Sophie will be more comfortable with them if they are calm and just spend time around her doing quiet things.  So I was thrilled with her reading.   Yesterday Miss E had Sophie on her knee and she was coloring.  Perfect!  Then this morning when Miss E went to uncover Sophie's house, Sophie hopped right onto Miss E's hand.  She was THRILLED!  Success!

I don't know if I am more excited or Miss E that we have a parrot... It's SO much fun!

Savor

I LOVE this word.  It says so much.  I have kept this word on my mind for the two years or so.   Since the day that Kyle and I realized that Miss H might be our youngest.  If anything the anguish of not (yet) having more children has taught me this word.  SAVOR.    It says, slow down, don't worry, capture this moment, stop, enjoy, LISTEN, cherish, LIVE IN THE NOW, RELAX,  take it all in...


Most of all it says, Your children are growing up fast.  Don't miss a moment.  Don't just go through the motions, make moments and ENJOY EACH ONE.  the good the bad and the fantastic.


On Wednesday, Miss H and I were downtown photographing a restaurant for my family's business and our bank was just next door.  So we walked down to go to the bank and between each window there was a diagonal wall that she could jump up on and then slide down.  It took us about 10 minutes to go from one side of this building to the other.  About half way through the windows I was ready to move along at a quicker pace.  We had things to do people!  A business man was walking past us with his associate and he said to his friend, "I miss those days".  I stopped dead in my tracks.  I was not savoring the moment.  I wasn't discovering the world with my precious daughter.  I did smile and enjoy the first half of the windows but the second half of the windows I LOVED.  When we headed back to the restaurant Miss H was at it again, fully loving sliding down each bit of angled wall.  I decided to savor.

After we made it back to the restaurant I Miss H stopped to savor the flowers.  That is what I love about children... my darling 3 year old didn't just smell one flower, she smelled about 10 of them.  I adore that.  To Savor means : Stop and smell all the flowers.

I want to SAVOR.

Dress up and Imagination

On Sunday I was reading a book, Kyle (my stud of a husband) was working on dinner prep, and I heard a dog barking - in the house!  Our beloved dog is an outside dog, due to Miss E's allergies.  So I quickly looked up and beheld our two fantastic girls playing dress up and imagination.

Miss H was the "mom" and Miss E is obviously the dog.  She makes an amazingly realistic dog sound.  Rehearsed and Rehearsed to prefection.  In fact she has been known to have dogs respond to her barking. Is that normal?  Probably not.

When my girls dress up usually they are dressed up to the NINES... but it was a wonderfully warm day and they were in a hurry to head outside.  So mom's heals are the only accessory.

There they go..... headed to "take the dog for a walk"I am glad my girls have an imagination.  Although mostly their imagination play revolve around animal families.  The favorites are Dogs, Horses and strangely enough, Wolves.  Most recesses Miss E can be found with about 5 other girls playing some sort of animal game.  The dad animal is protecting the baby animals from danger and the mom animal is making soup, cake or dinner.  Yep, Miss E is one of those kids.  I love it.

Spring Fever

I thought only high school seniors got spring fever.  I, stay-at-home-mom, of only one school aged child,  have spring fever.  

 On wednesday we had a no school day, (teacher in service)  and it was the best wednesday ever.  I don't want school ever again.  We had some of the cousins over and it was fantastic.

 Here is the girls lemonade, or rather Kool-aid, stand.  I thought that was the highlight of their day.  But later on they said the highlight was jumping on the trampoline.  Which they do every day so Im guessing they think life is pretty good.

 The kids played on the trampoline, in the playset, with water balloons, sidewalk chalk, found bugs, played with their little puppet theatre, barbies and of course a movie.

 My sisters and I were the kids only customers, but they didn't care, and somehow their two pitchers of koolaid was still gone at the end of the day.  A mystery.

 Big cousin trying to teach Miss H how to ride the two wheeled bike.  Still too young but it was a great effort!

 Miss E rode a huge bike!  It was too big for her to get on by herself but once she was up there, it wasn't a big deal at all, she cruised all over the place.

 Love the little hands!  They got the sidewalk chalk wet and it was a entirely new drawing experience. Kind of like sidewalk chalk finger painting.

She decided that her training wheels are still needed.  But she had left her bike out a few days ago and it got crunched by the car.  The front wheel is at a very precarious angle.  I think we need to move the training wheels to the "big princess bike"  which is actually perfect size for my little, almost 4 year old.

The end of the day was my favorite.  The girls and I read about 20 books, all curled up on the couch.  Then  after Miss H went to sleep (at the crazily early time of 6:30) Miss E and I played a board game in her tent.  I just took the fun tent down before it lost its novelty,

I'm not sure why but having both of my girls home, during the week, just made me entirely grateful to be a mother.  I am amazed that I get to be their mom.  I love when we are together.  I think I love summer so much because I get to spend so much time together as a family.  I love having my children with me.  I love to hear their squeals and their giggles.  I love the sentence... "mom can we..." usually some crazy idea comes out of their minds.  I love to watch them discover the world and love every moment.  I am grateful that I get to make their food, and keep our home.  That I get to create this environment for them to grow up.   I am dazed by the responsibility that I have to raise them to be responsible  adults who love and serve Jesus Christ, but am so eternally grateful for the challenge.  Sometimes I am overwhelmed by this challenge.  But ALWAYS,  I am eternally grateful that I am a MOTHER.

Cutting an Apple

One of the best things ever, is an apple.  Love them.  

But Miss E has loose teeth and lately has not wanted to take apples in her lunch.

Problem: Can't bite into an apple.

Solution: Slice the apple

Problem: Brown apple slices

Solution:

 Once in a great while I have a fantastic idea. 

Miss E loves apples again!  

P.S. Put the apple in a plastic bag to keep it safe.

Good Morning Song

We had the most fun Wednesday.  School was out for "Teacher Inservice Day" I don't know why they made it during the middle of the week.  But more on that later.   Which made Thursday Morning like Monday Morning.  Hard to get going.  Little Miss H (who went to bed at an all-time early record time of 6:30 on Wednesday.  I mean she was out, in her pjs and knocking ZZZZ's at 6:30pm) she woke up on Thursday at 7:30.  Which means she got 13 hours of sleep!!!  But Miss E was still sleeping... in a tent in the Game Room.

So Miss H came into my room and immediately asked where Miss E was.  She headed straight to the tent and I heard ... from her little 3 year old voice ....

Jesus wants you for a sun BEAM

Jesus wants you for a sunBEAM

Jesus wants you for a sunBEAM

(hesitant pause)

Jeass wants you for a sunBEAM]

 to shine today!!

Good morning, sister, want to come play with me?

MELT MY LITTLE MOMMY HEART!!!! 

that one goes on the all time favorite list.

Miss H Bike Riding Lessons

Miss H left her bike (that has training wheels) at her cousins house. (well,  I did) And so she decided that she'd learn how to use the '"big princess bike"  she wasn't quite ready but she felt so big trying.

I don't know how she was seeing with all of her hair in front of her face, thankfully, she liked the idea to move her hair as well.

That's her "I am done face.". 

I Miss E learned how to ride a bike about 6 months older than what Miss H is now, so she still has some time until she really is ready.  But how can you say '"no, sweet little child of mine, you can't try yet."?  You can't.  Kyle certainly can't say no for the girls trying new things.  It was a sweet moment.

YAAAAAAAAAA~!!!!!

Growing up with 2 sisters and a mom, (we were all the same size) so naturally.... we all shared clothes.  And I, being the youngest, had a lot of clothes to choose from.  That is until my sisters left for college - and took my clothes with them.   Then I had nothing!

This morning my two beautiful girls became sisters.  I heard the evidence from my down the hall, they were in their room, getting dressed.

Miss H (age 3) - Sister, is this yours?

Miss E (age 6) - yep

Miss H - Oh, can I wear it?

Miss E - sure

Miss H - SQUEAL!

Oh! the joys of sharing clothes!

(I thought Miss H would come out wearing some of her sisters school clothes, but no, an old dance recital costume and, of course, a crown.... that is the joy of being 3!)

Washing the Truck

Kyle loves a clean vehicle.  And so do I,  but he is much better at the whole process that it takes to keep the car "spic and span" clean.  We hit 80 this week and so .... Car wash time!  

Kyle doesn't love his picture taken, (Don't know why he married me then because I LOVE to take pictures- he's a good sport)  So this was the best shot I got of him, oh well :)

Miss H was "helping". I  love her happy little content face.  Adorbale. (if I do say so myself)

At this point above she had just sprayed the truck and thought that was the best thing in the whole world.

  Now that dad was drying it off she had to spray the street.  She still enjoyed using the hose but wasn't exactly thrilled that she could only spray the black boring street.  I think she got more wet than the truck.

All Hyper at Bedtime

Its a known fact that the Dad's job at home is to wrestle and "Rough House" and tickle and horse around with the kids.  Usually mom is there to cuddle with and dad is there to wrestle with.  One would think that cuddle time would be right before bed.  But as the days are getting longer, but school is still in session, its getting harder and harder to stop to "dad" time.  The girls were all dressed for bed, homework done, and dinner was cleaned up....story time?  I think not.  How about "Trampoline Time?"  Sure!!!

 (our dog, Hercules wanted so badly to join them, but he was so patiently waiting his turn - Most days you can find "herc" up on the trampoline, it's his favorite spot)

Crack the Egg, is the girls favorite game with dad, but since Miss H cracks very quickly, Miss E is always trying to hold out!

LOVE THEIR SMILES!!!

Ahh... What a great way to end the day.