getting in the groove

of just being us girls at home while the big kids are at school. next week she'll only be gone a few days a week so we'll still have a lot of one on one time. she was a bit sad that everyone was gone, so mom broke out the paints. paint always makes her happy!

and then after a bunch of errands, we tried penguins frozen yogurt. yup still tastes like it did when i was a kid, too dairyish for me. i don't like dairy unless it's in my coffee or ice cream 🙂 she too prefers pinkberry 🙂 but she did get a cute balloon that matched her dress perfectly!

there's a little peek into my house. it's been the home of a few of chris' coworkers from NZ so i've got quite a bit of cleaning up to do and there's still boxes to unpack. sigh. hopefully soon i'll be able to share more pics! 🙂

September 8, 2010 9

back to school for 3

the little one is still home with me for a few weeks, and even then, she's only gone a few mornings a week. 🙂
i'm not complaining, i love my babies home. but i also love them having routine and thinking of all that information their little brains are soaking up. or i hope 😉

September 1, 2010 3

yesterday

was a typical day for her! she made her own fruit salad, chopped and mixed all by herself 🙂

her normal little chirpy self 🙂

lots of lounging around on the porch swing 🙂

big sister was going to pep and put orange prewrap in her hair and els had to do the same, but of course nothing lasts in els' hair, around the neck it goes! :)

today she is sick 😦 24 hours makes such a difference! hoping this time tomorrow is a full swing back to her normal self. always tough to see the kiddies under the weather!

August 24, 2010 9

sunkissed

she's a little browner, hair's a little longer and sometimes smells of sun. she's still got that twinkle in her eye!

today we make it official and pay for 4 year old preschool. she's been devastated since school ended, she adored her 3 year old teachers and class. she doesn't like change. all summer, whenever we talk about school she'd get anxious, there's a nervousness in her voice that melts me. and finally last week, she said, okay i'll go….. (to 4 year old class). not that she had a choice, but still! 🙂 i know she'll love it. she's a little lover of play. and the do so many things i do not. lol 🙂

happy last few weeks of summer! 😦

August 5, 2010 7

walking

els loves to go on walks… nowhere in particular, just out to walk.

she's been a little off since the move- super clingy. tomorrow we have our first wedding since the move and she has been really concerned about it. lots of tears and requests that daddy go alone 🙂 so today she requested to go for a walk. i obliged. we picked flowers and talked. i let her lead the way. i just followed….

and she led us 2 blocks away… to our old house.

she looked up at me with those big, round, brown eyes and held in her tears. she said, 'i just wanted to see it.' i bent down and asked, 'do you miss it?' she said, 'yes.' i hugged her and told her we could come back and visit anytime she wanted. she decided to invite her imaginary fairy friends to the new house, as she accidentally left them behind. 🙂

when we got home, she wanted to go on another walk, with just chris. again, he let her lead the way, and again, they wound up at the old house. they put their hands on the door and said prayers of thanks for the memories and wishes that we will have many more sweet memories in our new home.

these walks melted me. els is such a strong little girl. we underestimated how much our move would impact her. we know that she'll bounce back and end up loving our new place as we love it… till then, if going on lots of walks to visit the old house is what it takes, we'll do it… bringing each little fairy with us as well.

July 2, 2010 11

fresh cold lemonade!

yesterday the kids decided to hit up the high schoolers that walk by after summer school and sell them lemonade.

first customer was the UPS guy, and he wasn't even dropping off a package! and he got a refill! we were surprised to see how many cars actually stopped and bought, and only a handful walkers stopped and bought. the kids decided they didn't mind if people drove by and didn't buy, but they were offended when they didn't get a smile or a wave. 🙂

chris said he'd double whatever they made that day. he wasn't counting on his best friend coming by and giving them a $20.00 tip. 🙂

the stand 🙂

elsie's newly painted bookshelf/toybin. we thought it was perfect for the stand 🙂 cam nixed the tinkerbell table with umbrella and chairs as he said, people wouldn't take him seriously, lol 🙂 elsie was quite the saleslady too! screaming fresh lemonade to whoever passed by!

July 1, 2010 8

bad blogger

life has been busy! really, i mean it. super busy!
we've recently moved and aren't quite settled yet. seems to have taken a bit of a toll on this one here. she's always been clingy but lately she's super clingy! i know that she will grow out of it so i'm good with being her little buddy these days. she had her last day of school as well and wants nothing to do with the 4 year old class in september. kinda surprising for our little socialite but not super surprising as she doesn't like change. and she had the most wonderful teachers this year! they amaze me, i love preschool for her…. and me haha! :)

summer begins this friday. my kids made a goal for us to go to the beach at least 10 times this summer 🙂 i'm ready for sleeping in, yay 🙂

June 15, 2010 8

sigh

and it was so pretty yesterday. 70 degrees, blue skies and gorgeous.
this is els with her orange top, orange henna flower kira drew for her and an orange marker that threw her into a whirlwind of a tantrum. crazyness. i no likey tantrums and gloom.

i miss yesterday. gloomy and drizzly today and tomorrow. wah.

i did get a box of new JB love in the mail today. i should take advantage of the gloom and do nothing but get crafty. 🙂

May 17, 2010 9

blessed

blessed to have mother's day and birthday back to back 🙂 a weekend of celebration that my husband planned- i'm not a big party person, i believe my last birthday party was when i turned 13. and i am so okay with that! but we had an amazing group of people over to just hang…. good times. i can't wait to see pics 🙂 more than the party and celebrations, i feel celebrated daily. even though motherhood can be constantly challenging, i am often reminded that i live a very rich life. it is full of love and i wouldn't trade it for the world. it's not frilly and fancy, just real. i appreciate the little things and cry with joy over the big things. i take nothing for granted and am extremely thankful. ❤

happy mother's day to all the moms, especially my very own mother- i am surrounded by women who show me the meaning of motherhood.

May 10, 2010 10

sometimes

sometimes, you can catch her in her own little world. not talking to us people but to herself or her people. her imaginary friends. singing her own songs. it's a rare thing, something i find so precious. most days she is right there at my side, talking up a storm, with very little stopping in between stories and demands and questions. it's when i notice she's wandered off and i hear silence, where i know she is in her own little place…

and i can just sit in the silence and breathe 🙂

May 4, 2010 9