The Comforts of Home

We are back into the swing of things after enjoying "spring break".  A year ago, we traveled to sunny AZ, where we "defrosted" in the warm desert sun.  This year, we decided to stay put and enjoy the comforts of home.  Once the school year starts, we typically don't spend many "vacation days" at home.  It was a nice change to have a week off with nothing to plan, pack, or prepare for.  We took it one day at a time and enjoyed every minute!  Here are some of the highlights.


Saturday - Swimming lessons in the morning and an evening with friends!

Sunday - Church, naps, and dinner out on the town.  (We had to leave the house . . . someone made 4 jars of pickled eggs and we couldn't stand the smell any longer!)

Monday - The THREE of us had the day off and we enjoyed the day lounging and playing in the snow!  It's not very often you will find all 3 of us home on a Monday!  It was quite a treat!

Tuesday - One more day off for the 3 of us.  The boys came and played in the morning.  The girls came to play after naps. Followed by outdoor adventures with Frosty!  We consumed more than our fair share of marshmallows and hot chocolate!

Wednesday - Someone had to go back to work while the rest of us stayed nestled in at home and enjoyed a little snowstorm.  Fortunately, the weather didn't interfere with our "playdate" with the BISON!

Thursday - Afternoon visit with friends.  After-dinner trip for some frozen yogurt for dessert!  Pinky's favorite flavor was the chocolate in my bowl . . . It's a good thing she's so cute, I don't share chocolate with just anyone! 

Friday - A trip to the mall in the morning.  Lunch at the office with daddy.  Dinner at our favorite local Chinese restaurant.  AND an evening with a big bowl of popcorn and the "State B".

Saturday - Swimming lessons in the morning with a special audience followed by lots of play time!

 Sunday - Breakfast with Gma and Gpa.  A nice long nap in the afternoon.  A little polish on the toes.  And another bowl of popcorn and "Happy Feet". 

We rested.  We snuggled.  We read books.  We sang songs.  We got plenty of fresh air.  We had lots of soggy wet mittens.  We had a variety of yummy snacks.  We made lots of memories with family and friends.  And we never left city limits!

"Fishing!"

Practicing our fine motor skills!

Loves time with her babies!

Quite possibly the best spring break ever!  (Although I haven't ruled out Mexico in 2013!)

Splish Splash

Pinky is over half way through her first set of swimming lessons.  It's been so much fun watching Pinky as she becomes more comfortable in the swimming pool!    You are probably wondering what swimming lessons are like for a 2-year-old.  Well, these are some of the skills her teacher is working on with the class:

• blowing bubbles
• splashing
• learning that you move when you kick you legs
• reaching towards objects (balls/rubber duckies) floating in front of you with both hands
• floating on your tummy
• floating on your back (one of Pinky's favorites)
• feeling what happens when you push your body off the sides of the pool in the water
• jumping in, and maybe even going under
• trying to build independence in the water

These are some of the songs we sing when working on these skills:

• "The Wheels on the Bus"
• "Twinkle Twinkle"
• "If You're Happy and you Know It"
• "Ring Around the Rosie"

We try to take turns so that she is comfortable in the water with both of us . . . She's probably more daring with her dad and more clingy with me.  But it's fun, and wet, and quite an adventure! 

January

January has never been one of my favorite months . . . after packing up Christmas, it has always felt like a long 31 days of bitter cold and lots of snow to "get through"!  To be honest, I find that it's usually a good month to hybernate.  January 2012 has been a different story at our house!

Thanks to an unusually mild January, it was actually 50 degrees on Pinky's birthday.  Imagine that!  We spent the afternoon outside enjoying the beautiful weather . . . without coats, mittens, hats or boot.  AWESOME!  I take that back, we did make Bella wear a hat . . . if you call a bike helmet a hat . . . when she cruised around on her new 4-wheeler!

Pinky's birthday party included friends and family (complete with a surprise visit from Grandma and Grandpa); Minute to Win It Games; a butterfly cake; and as many of Pinky's favorite treats and snacks as we could (M&Ms, fruit loops, gold fish, pizza and chips & dip). 
In addition, Pinky has started swimming lessons, which means for the last 4 Saturdays (and next 5), we have had the chance to enjoy a nice warm swimming pool, where Pinky is becoming more comfortable and confident in the water.  Lessons typically include singing familiar songs incorporating lots of action: kicking, reaching, twirling, splashing, dipping the ears, and blowing bubbles!  If you ask her about lessons, she'll quickly reply "ring around the rosie."  Evidently one of her favorite songs in the pool.

We've used our shovels a few times this month, but to be honest, I find the few inches of white fluff out thereto be quite lovely . . . I'd much rather look at a little white snow than dead grass . . . and it's way more fun to play in.  Pinky enjoys playing outside any chance she can get.

January was a busy month:  Birthday party, outdoor adventures, swimming lessons, and visits with family and friends.  Hybernation was not on the list this year! 

Maiden outside voyage for her new wheels!

With her "number".  We're still working on "2".

Butterfly cake.  YUMMY!

Swimming Lessons

Shoveling snow with her rake!

And yes, we did get a family birthday hat picture this year! 
Just before bed!

Now, bring on SPRING!!!!  HA!

Order Up!

We have a new chef in the family!  Pinky got a toy kitchen for her birthday.  And along with it, a tea set, toy food, an apron and a table and chairs!  We spend a lot of time in her room these days eating snacks, soup, waffles, cheese, and of course sipping tea with cream and sugar. 

Today, I walked into her room to find Pinky stirring and cooking on her stove. "Do you want a bite?" she asked so sweetly. "Sure!" I replied, as if there was an option. "Sit down!" she demanded, as she pointed to a chair! Oh dear, do I sound like that???? Couldn't be!

Birthday girl cooking up some dessert!

Adding a little "spicy" to Sunday lunch.

Tea for Three!

Yes, an iron too! 

She spends so much time eating in her room, no wonder she isn't hungry at dinner time.  Come on over if you get hungry, she's excited to have friend and family around her table! 

Terribly 2

2 years ago today, Pinky was born.

2 years ago, my husband became a father.

2 years ago, I became a mother.

2 years ago, we became a family of 3.

And now, 2 years later, we have a smiley, giggly, sweet, strong-willed, talkative, independent, little girl who has us both wrapped around her little finger (along with her aunties, grandparents, and cousins!). 

Here are some things you may or may not know about Pinky:
She's a terribly good singer!
She's terribly silly.
She's terribly good at puzzles and sorting block shapes.
She's terrible at finishing her dinner most nights.
She has a terrible sweet tooth.
She's terribly interested in owies, and usually has at least one.
She's terrible (according to her cousins) at sharing. 
She's becoming more terribly independent every day.  ("I can do it myself.")
She's terribly lovable!

In a nut shell, she's officially terribly 2!

Home for the Holidays

We're nearing the tail end of our Christmas break.  We look forward to this week all year, and once it is here, it goes much too quickly.  Although times have certainly changed . . . as we've all spent plenty of time "plugged in" with iPads, iPhones, Windows Phones, and laptops . . . Not to mention watching movies (I'm watching Elf as I type) . . . The times "unplugged" are those we remember and look forward to!


Here are some of the things we look forward to and enjoy at Christmas:

• Candle light service on Christmas Eve - Pinky could sing some of the songs this year!  Her favorites were "Away in the Manger" and "Go Tell it on the Mountain".

Home from church.

• Birthday Cake for Jesus
•  Playing games (Favorites this year:  Sushi Roll, 5 Second Rule, and Say Anything)
• Playing outside, even though we were lacking a little white this Christmas, we still had fun!

  

  Riding with Grandpa in the tractor.

Just enuf snow for a snowman!

Outdoor fun!

• Giving presents - whether it's off their list or a special surprise, it's so much fun to give gifts to those we love!

Signed by his favorite Cubs player . . . some Dawson guy?

Tea for Two!

Auntie C was Skyping as we opened presents
Christmas Day.  Gma liked her new picture!

• Enjoying endless pots (acutally CUPS this year as Keurigs were the holiday hit) of coffee and hot chocolate and tea.
• Fudge, cookies, snack mix, lefse, etc.  YUMMY!

I just want Goldfish.

• Spending entire days in our pjs!

• Staying up late and sleeping in.
• NAPS!
• Spending time with family and friends.

4 generations

Christmas Day Snuggles.

Here are some of our favorite Pinky quotes from the week:

• Wanna play Angy Birds on my phone.
• Sing more Jingle Bells.
• Look at me!
• Where Santa go?  Santa at work?
• We to go grandma's house?  Yes-whoooooo!
• No, mommy, I just want cookies.
• All done crying.
• I want some of those. (Referring to Grandpa's whiskers.)
• I want a ring on my finger.
• Go tell it on the mountain, Jesus Christ is born.

Merry Christmas

Send Christmas cards

Decorate tree

Hang stockings

Put up lights

Run to Walmart

Wrap presents

Run to Kohls

Wrap presents

Make treats

Eat treats

Run to Walmart

Make more treats

We all do it . . . and it's exciting and fun and stressful and exhausting.

This year, we decided to start a new tradition with Pinky. . . Rather than taking all of our gifts for each other back and forth, we decided to open them before we left for the holidays.  So, we decided to make it a birthday party for the KING!

Here's a look at the first Birthday Party for Jesus at our house:

Wouldn't be a party without hats!

Check out my new apron from Auntie Sharon!

A potty chair!

"Cute football"

 

Thanks for the presents!

Had so much fun, she tuckered out before ice cream!  
(But after she sang all of the words to "Happy Birthday" to baby Jesus!)

It was so fun to watch Pinky give and open presents this year.  Everything was "cute", and fun, and exciting for her.  How joyful to experience Christmas with a child full of joy!