walking on eggs!

please don't judge me on my daughters hair.  their hair seems to be crazy quite frequently.  But, ya know, there are more important things in life.  Like walking on eggs....

Did you know you can walk on them and they won't break?  its pretty true.  We only broke 2, not a bad ratio 2 out of 9.  The girls thought that was the best thing ever!  It was our science experiment for the day.  And it was fun.

Lost Tooth and STOMP fun.

Miss E lost her second front tooth!  I was hoping that she would have those two front teeth gone at the same time.  And it happened!!! She talks so cute right now without her front teeth.  Her darling cousin pulled out the tooth while spending the night.  It is wonderful to have so many cousins so close!

I wanted this picture so badly... the essence of "kidness" right here, without two front teeth.  

This age is so fun.  Getting old enough to joke and have fun with and still believes in Magic.  Childhood is incredible.

"Look Mom, it will stick from my blood!"  

Now switching topics... Park time, I have brought my camera to every park and adventure we have been on during the last 3 weeks of our summer and I have only taken this one picture below.  I realized that yesterday.  Sad.  I will be better!  But isn't it a cute one.  Look at those cute little pig tails.

Lastly, Has anyone in the world seen STOMP? 

it is the most fantastic show/concert. period.

 Kyle and I went and saw it when I was pregnant with Miss H.  It was my only outing (other than dr app's) during my bedridden pregnancy and WOW was it AWESOME!  Miss H thought so too.  She danced all night in my womb.  I thought that was great, healthy and kicking!  Well tonight we experienced it again.  Kyle made a drumming sound with his hands at the dinner table and Miss E replicated the rythum.  It ended with full on drumming session with the objects on the table.  Forks were pinging against glasses, table, plates, plastic cups and anything we could reach.  It was a blast!  We banged and drummed and danced!  It was one of those magical moments when everyone is laughing and loving and living in the moment.  Completely enjoying our family together.  The girls want to do it again tomorrow night.  Oh baby!  I can't wait!

Making in the Kitchen

i can't believe its been a month since i last posted.  summer.  its too fun.

Miss H loves to "Make" in the Kitchen.  "Mom, can I Make with you?" "What are you making?"  I love it because it evokes creativity into cooking.  In essence "Mom, can I create with you?"  Awesome.  This particular morning we were making pancakes.  I love big breakfasts.  

 This morning Miss H got a bit carried away with the flour!

Through the Eye of my Baby...  Miss H then took a picture of me.  I had just washed my hands and was going to dry them off.  I just think its cute when kids take pictures.  Too see what they see.  And learn what is interesting to them.

Oompa Oompa Oompadedo... I've got another riddle for you...

Miss E was an Oompa Loompa in "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" The kids work SO HARD.    Memorizing songs and dances.  3 months.  2-3x per week. 2-4 hour practices.  Thankfully the Oompa Loompas didn't have as vigorous a schedule.  A few weeks were rough but for the most of the time Miss E LOVED IT.  She had a great time and can't wait for next year.

Here she is dumping sugar in the "Chocolate River.

Coming on to sing about the spoiled brat, Veruca.

Here's Miss H waiting for Miss E after the play.

Miss E in her Costume.  SHE LOVED THE FLOWERS (well mostly she loved the Wonka Nerds)

Miss E with her cousin.  They are both in 1st grade, and were Oompa Loompa's together.  SO FUN!!

Good Work Miss E, I am proud of you!

Showered Time Success!

We have always battled Miss E with her showers.  She really doesn't like being told what to do.  Which when you are young, you are constantly being told what to do.  So that can make life very difficult for child and parents.  Recently we found a fantastic fix, at least for being happily hygienic.  

I labeled the Shampoo and the Conditioner. #1 for the shampoo and #2 for the conditioner. I used the black lettering you buy when you sell your car... I tried a sharpie but the ink just slid off.  I am sure any scrapbook stickers would work great too. (and the pump style is a budget save -only one pump needed- no more cup full of shampoo being used per washing!)  She could read which was which but she could never remember if the Shampoo or Conditioner was used first.  Oh the things you have to learn!  As a parent I am constantly amazed at all the little things that you take for granted.  For example, we, adults, know that you just don't drink orange juice after brushing your teeth.  You just know that is NOT going to be a pleasant experience.  But a child doesn't know that.  They have to learn SO MUCH STUFF!

BUT this was a fantastic fix.  Now showering is not a frustration.  She knows what to do, and doesn't need annoying (for her) parental help.

YAY!

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.