Friday, February 20, 2009

Tiny Dancer

If I talked to you about the tutu purchase, please forgive me. The website to order tutus has way too many color combinations and styles, with ribbon, without, lengths, etc. If you know me you know the choice was not simple. And when the custom tutu finally arrived I was not pleased at all by how short it was but alas there are no returns on custom tutu orders. Ellie instantly proclaimed it was "too little" and "don't fit me" when she opened it, most likely because there was also a new Disney Sleeping Beauty dress as an option for dress up. I finally got her into the ballerina get up yesterday afternoon and took a few pictures. Sometimes I like to pretend that I am a professional photographer and that I have talent. So I try really hard and use multiple settings and torture my kids. However it doesn't really look like she was tortured does it?












No, I believe she loves the camera and posing. So yesterday afternoon while Chase shunned me to play Wii with his new friend down the street and gave me evil looks when I tried to take their picture I changed subjects to the willing two year old.


Sometimes I need to put aside the laundry and dishes and monotonous picking up of things to the side. Stop and capture the moment. I don't do this often enough and before I know it.. poof it will be gone.

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Stellar day

Before I start on the stellar day update I want to point out that there have been no entries since the pumpkins. So sorry and I have no excuse other than I've been busy. I think the only people that occasionally peek at this blog are relatives that don't get to see the kids and I am so sorry because so much has happened since Oct! Geez! They both grew 1.5 inches!

Anywho... last Thursday was a bright spot in Chase and Ellie's educational journey and I thought I might write about it...

First off, Ellie is now in school! Not preschool yet, that starts in the fall but she has started Kindermusic which is a once a week music class for 15 weeks. She is definitely ready! and so excited that she goes to school like Chase now (which he continually reminds her is not real school). Here she is on her first day of "school". Could she be any happier?


Then to top off our stellar day of educational firsts, Chase came bounding off the bus freaking out because he won a contest. What type of contest you ask? A writing contest! And he won a Spy toy which he is proudly displaying below.

His class was asked to write a sentence and he wrote 3! With proper spacing and pretty good spelling or at least sounding out! And the brilliant manuscript is below...
In case you can't decipher it, it says.. "I was with my Dad at his work. My Dad had to type for a long time. My Mom got me McDonald's." Pure genius!

Thursday, October 30, 2008

Our Pumpkins

I would rather sit on a pumpkin and have it all to myself, than be crowded on a velvet cushion. - Henry David Thoreau


A few pictures from our annual trip to Berry Patch Farms for some pumpkin picking, hayriding, and pie eating. I am learning. We went early in the season and were there when it opened. No nasty rotting and smashed pumpkins in the field the first weekend! Just the pick of the bunch. Here are a few pictures of our pumpkins with the pumpkins...






Wednesday, October 29, 2008

I give you.... Hair Pigs!!!

It has been 2 years coming but I am finally able to perform a "hair-do" (well sort of) on Ellie!!! Yes, she is not in any rush to grow out her hair as Chase wasn't either. The plus is that people think she is a genius baby, "wow, she's so verbal, how old is she?". They seem shocked and awed when I say she is 2. Could also be the paci and bottle I still let her have though. I'm in no rush with my baby.

So to cut the rambling... I went and bought the mini hair bands last week and attempted a hair style. Pig tails in fact, which Chase has named "Hair Pigs". Ellie loves them!

Thursday, October 16, 2008

67 years and counting...

Love at first sight is easy to understand; it's when two people have been looking at each other for a lifetime that it becomes a miracle. - Amy Bloom


Here are my grandparents in 1941. The year they were married. They were 20 and 21 years old. Can you imagine marrying the person you were dating when you were 21? And then staying married for 67 years?



Here they are at my house the day we celebrated their anniversary.


They have been through a lifetime together. Ups and downs... births, deaths, children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, many homes, businesses, travel, through every phase of their life. They recently moved to Atlanta to be closer to our family. It was extremely difficult for them to leave Florida where they went to retire 20+ years ago. They left behind many friends and their FL home they shared many happy memories in. But they made the move and faced this new journey in their life with a wonderful attitude and excitement to be around family.

I asked them at dinner what made their marriage last and what made it so wonderful. Several years ago I asked the same question (I think it was their 63rd anniversary). My grandfather's answer at the time was 3 things... 1) No fighting over money 2) lots of sex (this one was hard not to giggle at) and 3) love. Now in their 67th year together I asked the question again. My grandfather looked at my grandmother and teared up and only had a one word answer this time. "Love".


I hope Dusty and I are around for our 67th wedding anniversary and I hope we are lucky enough to have the entertainment for the occasion be our great grandchildren singing and dancing for us.



Monday, October 13, 2008

More More Princess...

Yesterday we were invited to a birthday party for Ellie's friend Riley who was turning 2. Typically we are going places for Chase so this is a new spin that Ellie actually has places to be! As we pulled up late... lo and behold a Princess was getting out of her car and going to the party too! This just could not be! Ellie was ecstatic! Chase, not so much. Dusty was happy there was a keg of beer and football. So Ellie spent her afternoon as close as possible to "Princess Marie" and scored a balloon flower, a face painting of balloons, a party hat, and a balloon ladybug bracelet all bestowed on her by the Princess. All of which, according to the Princess, she requested. Riley was cute as could be in her little poof which I am now thinking Ellie might need too. Chase also decided face painting might not be so scary and got his first ever face painting! It was so sad when the princess had to go. Ellie followed her out running after her yelling "more more princess". However, then there was more fun, riding in the wagon and making peanut butter bird feeders. What a party!



We are so excited to have friends close by and hope to spend many more weekend afternoons together!

Ellie with the Princess...
As requested... "blue balloons". Posing with her face painting.
Lady bug bracelet.
I do like your party hat! Wow, what a party hat!
Chase's dragon complete with fire on his nose.


Ava, Riley, and Ellie with the wagon.
Birthday girl Riley chilling after party with Ellie.

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Wildcats


So Chase is a Wildcat this year. Roar! He no longer is on the green team... we've moved on to the color navy blue and are a little fiercer this year than last year's "gophers" and the previous year's "toads". He is a Wildcat. It's pretty serious out there and Chase is only happy when playing although he is making vast improvements in his sportsmanship during his time on the sidelines. Daddy again is a coach which means I am not obligated to attend practice since Dusty has to be there. See how smart I am? Ellie and I have not missed a game yet! We even dragged my grandparents across 4 fields to watch one morning. Ellie actually watches this year or at least stays on the sidelines playing with dirt and rocks. She also yells "Go Chase! and Go Cats" which I'm sure is making a difference in the game outcome. Chase is relentless and continues to impress us with his soccer abilities and good behavior as a teammate. Here he is in action...

Chase stealing the ball...
Super fast.


Best part of the game, running through the parent tunnel.
Afterward on the playground with fellow "cats".
Ellie on the playground.