Shorter still…

Yes, Emmy’s hair is even shorter than the last post.

Yesterday morning when I was brushing her hair, I realized that the stylist did a kind of crappy job on the back of her hair, it was so uneven. So afterschool I took her back and our regular girl was there. She took one look at Em’s hair and said, “What on Earth did she do? I will definitely even it out, but I’m going to have to take a little more off – is that ok?”

Another inch later…

Yep, it is shorter!

…and here we are. Her headband is sliding down a little, but it really does look so cute! I’ve been calling her my “little pixie” all day. I really do like being able to see her pretty little face and I think the cut definitely makes her face not seem so long, or old! She looks like a cute, little (almost!) six year old, now.

V-day card from Mommy and Daddy

She is looking at her Valentine from J. and I. We had homework last week! Her teacher sent home a red heart that we were to decorate for our k-gartener. We were supposed to put three positive adjectives (yes, they did have to actually say “positive”) that describe them and then secretly slip the valentines back into the classroom.

They opened them during their party today and then they all wore them out the door at pick-up time. They were so very proud of them.

We chose smart and caring for Em, both of them were very easy. Then we waivered a bit. J. had suggested brave, but we decided adventurous instead. She wants to try things and is curious, but not necessarily brave yet. I think she was pretty pleased of her adjectives – and they definitely do suit her.

Special Friend Day ~ Theme Thursday

They announced at Addie’s school last week that they were having a Special Friend Day today. Everyone got to bring a special person to spend the day with them at school.

So I asked her who she wanted to bring.

At first she said:
A: “Mommy!
M: “Ok! I would love to come.” (And I would! How fun to get to see what goes on there and to get play at her sweet school all morning!)

And then she said:
A: Mommy and Daddy!
M: “Well,  I think it says you can only bring one. But we can ask Daddy and maybe if he doesn’t have any meetings he can go.”

So we did. And he didn’t. And it was decided that he would be her special friend today. She has been looking forward to it all week and was telling Em’s friends and the Moms yesterday that “my Daddy is coming to school with me today!”

I’m so excited that they get to spend some special time together just the two of them. And I made him promise to take pictures of everything and I just sent them on their way…

special friend day

So I’m off to go enjoy some special yoga class time by myself.

Make sure to stop over to Stacy’s today to see more special moments!

Hair Today…Gone Today.

Yep. We went to the Kiddie Kuts today. Emma wore me down. But believe me, I tried everything to dissuade her.

I even pulled out the…”But ballerinas have to have their hair long so that they can wear their hair in buns!” move. It was not deterring her. After much agonizing (mine) and pleading (hers) we trekked over to get her haircut “Short. Like Mommy’s.”

The last photo of “the hair.”

The before pic

Loping the pigtails off.

Off go the pigtails

“Oh, Em! What did you do?”

Em, what did you do?

She has already claimed that the pigtails are going to be her items for Share Day tomorrow. (Ew.)

Guess what I'm taking for share day tomorrow?

And she has stopped to “fluff” her new ‘do in every mirror, all evening long.

She loves it.

Hair in the mirror

And you know what? I do, too.

I love it.

I command you to…Stop. This. Instant.

E: “Mama? I think that I am six already.”
M: “What’s that?”
E: “Yeah, I think I should already be six, because I can already read and write all kinds of stuff, and I don’t even need your help. So it is like I’m six already, right?”

Right. Oh, boy.

Tree hugger

So, we were in church on Sunday. And she is still just a little bit too short to prop her elbows on the back of the pew when we are kneeling, so she puts a few hymnals down to kneel on for that optimal praying position. The lady behind us was giggling at her perched precariously on top of two hymnals and then she asked Em, “How old are you?”

“Oh, I’m 5 and a half, but I turn 6 on April 9th!” Em said so proudly. And then? The lady made the mistake of saying, “Oh, really? I thought you were at least 7 or 8. You are so tall and your printing is so nice and neat!” (She was writing letters to Daddy during part of mass.)

Cripes. Emma was beaming. “Mama! She thinks I am 7 or 8! Wow! And I’m only 6. Well, I’m almost 6!”

I threatened right then that I was going to put the hymnals on her head to make her stop growing.

I’m not quite sure what is going on around here lately. I find myself just watching the girls, or staring at photos of them and wondering, “How in the world did we get here?” “Where did my little girls go?”

And don’t say I am yearning for a baby, because I so am NOT. I am not even really nostalgic for, or missing when the girls were babies, necessarily.  I love the ages and stage we are at right now. I love our little family and it just feels right. It feels complete.

I am not really sure what I am feeling. I guess I just want them to slow down. I can’t keep up with all of their milestones, their funny stories, or antics. I feel like the days are just slipping through my fingers, along with all of their youth and innocence.

I feel like I am going to wake up tomorrow, and they are both going to be packing to leave for college.

And now? Em wants her haircut. I got mine cut yesterday and she can’t stop playing with it and telling me how she wants hers cut short, too.

I love her hair. I’m trying so hard to remember that it is her hair, but tell me she isn’t going to look even more like she is 7 or 8 with a short little bob, than she would with her ribbons and pigtails?

It’s Our Favorite Place…Trader Joe’s

J. found this video last night and I think it does a good job documenting why we love (and love to hate) Trader Joe’s. Those of you the have been to one, or frequent TJs will think this is pretty funny. (Especially the part about stuff that isn’t there any more! Grrr…Chicken Chimichangas?)

Those of you who have no idea what Trader Joe’s is…might not see the humor. But the song is still very catchy and the man who made the video shot it all on his Palm Treo – so that is impressive.

I especially love the part about the “beautiful moms in yoga pants,” – and oh yes, I will be cracking out the yoga pants for my pilgrimage there later this week. Hee.

And, we have a winner! ~ Crafty Tuesday

Thanks to everyone for playing along with last week’s giveaway (and for clicking through to find out how to Save Handmade!), I used the trusty random number picker, and came up with our winner…

lucky_winner

And the fourth comment was from my friend over at Blueberry and the Bean (and Sprout, too!). I’ve been reading about her little Bean (which I am partial to, since my childhood nickname was also Bean!) for a long time. I can still remember when the little Sprout was born, and I am just so very excited that she won.  So watch Crafty Tuesday in the next few weeks to see what I can come up with for her.

Besides the contest, there hasn’t been much craftiness going on around our digs. I have a Valentine that I’m supposed to be pimping out (secretly) to send for Emma during their class party this week. But since it is a secret, I haven’t really had much time to work on it. I started it on the Craft Nite we did last Friday, but didn’t manage to even finish the one little card. In my defense, the Craft Nite was totally fun but more than anything it was mostly just gossip hour(s) with some friends and drinks.

But it did inspire me to clean out/up my scrapbook corner! It is lookin’ so good, but still needs a leee-ttle bit of work. I’ll post some photos when it gets there.

So, instead? Let’s discuss some other crazy crafty cuteness! Have you seen Jen’s amazing stuff over at the New Green Mama? Her stuff is just pure sweetness. I saw an owl there awhile ago and had it in mind for somebody for a birthday present. And so last week she posted a new one to her Etsy store and I popped over and snapped it up.

And then the owl arrived on our doorstop.

Oh.My.Peas!

Me thinks that the little owl might not leave ever leave my house. It is so…so…cute!

owl_wide

And she looks so great on her perch on top of my desk, too…

owl_long

And…AND! She also sent along a little coffee cozy. Which has been in use nearly every single day since I received it. Gah, I love it!
coffee_cozy

I adore the little tweet bird. Have you noticed that these little birds seem to be popping up everywhere? I’m so in love with all the little bird stuff right now.

So anyhow…if you haven’t been by Jen’s go visit her now and give her a little love. Her stuff is fantastic – and as an added bonus it is all made from reclaimed, up-cycled products! Great stuff for you, and good for the environment too. You can’t beat it.

And I’m sure that you all have more craft cuteness for us today too…right?

Addie-tude ~ Best Shot Monday

I know someday her iron will, independent spirit and stubborn streak is going to serve her well. And, yes, I do want her to grow into a strong and liberated young woman…

Ad-D-kins

But, whew boy!

If I hear “I wanted to do it, Mama!” one more time before she dissolves into yet another fit of tears…I may just throw myself off of the top of that jungle gym!  (AND, she is now big enough to open the car door from the outside by herself. How on earth did that happen?)

I mean, just look at this Addie-tude! I think this photo pretty much says it all. She is a 3-year old girl on a mission!

Addie-tude

And I wouldn’t change one tiny piece of her for anything.
Find more photos that say it all over at Tracey’s new spot today.

Recipe for a Good Day

We just stumbled upon a good recipe that I thought you all might like. Here is what you need to have a good day…

1 – all-day, good hard rain
1 – fun play/coffee date with friends who don’t care if your house is clean
1 – semi-clean, cozy house
(at least clean to the point that you don’t feel compelled to get up and be doing something!)
2 – gorgeous girls happily playing in the playroom for hours on end
(can substitute the girls for boys here)
2 – cups of hot cocoa with whipped cream
1 – hot latte
1 – afternoon movie in the living room
(popcorn optional, but mandatory in our house!)
1 – dinner bubbling away in the oven

Top it off with it being Friday and it is the perfect recipe for a good GREAT day!

Enjoy!

Rainy

A cat among dogs

Yesterday was Smokey’s fifteen minutes of fame, and today it is Tiger’s…

“Maybe if I am really still, they won’t see me.”

tiger

J. took this pic on his iPhone when he stumbled across Tiger trying to “be one” with the stuffed animals. Emma cracks up every time she sees this photo.

Plus she keeps asking me, “Mama, can you please print that picture of Tiger when she thinks she is trying to be one of the puppies?!”