Fun ~ Theme Thursday

Posted on May 8, 2008 by carrievoris

Make sure you stop over to Stacy’s for Theme Thursday today, our theme being FUN, and she just returned from Northern California (one of my favorite places in the whole world) so I’m sure she will have some very FUN photos.

As for around here…well, it hasn’t been so much fun. Although my birthday was very fun, we have all been kind of lying low again this week. The camera has been on hiatus still and we are all just trying to get back to normal. I did think about the theme earlier this week and thought for a moment, “Hey, Ad and I should just go out and shoot some photos…” and then I got busy doing nothing something again, and never got around to it.

BUT, thankfully my little Em is totally like her Daddy and can not bear waiting to give a present until the appropriate time. When we picked her up from school yesterday she handed me my Mother’s Day present and pleaded with me to open it.

“But, Mama! Miss MarieRose said that you can open it before Mother’s Day! Can you open it now?”
“Can you open it now?”
“How about now?”

Finally I gave in and opened it when we got home. She was so very proud of her craftiness. (HEY, I totally should have saved this for Crafty Tuesday…)

If you can’t tell – it is the most adorable little purse. When you open the clasp, it looks like this…

Doesn’t that just melt your heart?? Oh, my.

We have been reading the Junie B. chapter books after we put Addie to bed at night. I have so waited for this day…reading REAL, FUN books to the girls – I’m not sure who is having more fun, Em or Mommy.

And then inside the purse, was this…

And she was so proud that she glued the little “sticks” into the shape of an “M.”

I do believe this can be claimed as my favorite Mother’s Day gift. Ever. It is so sweet and fun.

Think of all the “advice” you get before you have a child – “it is the hardest job you’ll ever have,” “that first year will really rock your world,” “sleep now, while you still can,” “watch out for projectile vomit,” etc.

Why doesn’t anyone say how much FUN it is to be the center of someone’s world. Even if it is only for a few short years?

Just heard in our kitchen…

Posted on March 31, 2008 by carrievoris

Emma had her kitty in her shirt.

E: “Mama! I’m pregnant, whoa, look!” (As she is bent backward and holding her back!)
M: “Nice. Can you please go clean up your Pollys before dinner?”
E: “Oh, I can’t Mama. Because I’m pregnant!”
M: “Do you think Mama didn’t do any sort of cleaning while she was pregnant.”
E: “Nope. You can’t do anything when you are pregnant.”

Ha. Guess our pregnant (or just had a baby!) friends are all off the hook for the next few months!

More Sisterly Love ~ Best Shot Monday

Posted on March 31, 2008 by carrievoris

I can’t stop photographing the two girls together lately. This is what? The tenth photo of the two of them in the past two weeks?

Maybe it is because I am missing my sister. Or maybe I feel compelled to document the love between the girls while I can, for I’m sure I’ll need to pull some of these photos out to remind us all of a simple time when they were just happy to be together.

I love happy “accidents.” When you think you know which shot is going to be your absolute favorite, and then as they are downloading the photos, one catches your eye. A shot that you thought was a “throw-away,” but it jumps out, and really speaks to you.

That was this one. Probably not technically the “best” shot I took all week, but the pure love you can feel radiating from the two of them – it literally makes my heart feel like it will explode when I stare at it. So therefore, it is my Best Shot this fine Monday.

New Spring Clothes!

Posted on March 27, 2008 by carrievoris

Nana and Papa sent the girls some cash and instructions to get themselves maybe a “new skirt or some sandals” with their Easter cards.

The money has been burning a hole in the girls’ pockets all week. Finally we went to Target yesterday and Emma declared as we were walking in, “We have to find a skirt or sandals from our Easter money! Can we shop too, Mama?”

I told her yes, of course, but I didn’t say anything about what they had to buy, I kind of wanted to see what they came up with on their own.

My very literal Em, insisted that we had to find a skirt. When Addie picked up a little summer shirt that she liked Em chastised her, “No, Addie! You have to get a skirt!”

So I stepped in and told Addie if she really liked that shirt that it was on sale (good girl!) and it would be fine. She insisted that it was not a shirt, but a dress! But since the shirt was on sale, we were also able to get a cute little pair of shorts to go under her “dress.” Purple. Her favorite color.

Then we went over to the girls’ section and I was a bit disappointed I must say. Em is just on the cusp, her 5T stuff fits her, but it won’t for long and a lot of it is just too short for her long torso, so we’ve been trying to get straight up 5s. Which of course requires the girls’ section. But they just don’t have as cute of clothes over there. And some of it is down right hoochie. Which is another hard concept to explain to a 5-year old.

So, we get to Em’s section. She stops and looks so longingly at the sundresses, runs her hands through the dresses, looks at the tag and asks me how much all of them are, and then kept walking. (They were on sale and in her budget as well!) We got to the end of the row and she looked tearfully at me and said,

E: “But Mama, there just aren’t any skirts that I can get!”
M: “Honey, you don’t have to get a skirt! Papa and Nana just suggested maybe a skirt.”
E: “Can I get a little sundress – it is the right price?”
M: “Of course, yes!”

So she ran straight back to the sundresses, picked out the girliest pink one she could find and happily carried it to the checkout. And, of course, they both had to wear their new outfits this morning.

Em’s new dress…

Ad’s new “dress”…

And her shorts…

And the two of them…just because they are cute, and I can.

A Collection ~ Theme Thursday

Posted on March 27, 2008 by carrievoris

Today’s Theme Thursday is collection. Besides my collection of dust bunnies, I’m not really collecting anything right now. I did collect spoons when I was little but I think they are somewhere at my parent’s house now, in the basement perhaps? Since Em is a bit of a hoarder (she has piles of scrap papers, all kinds of piles of stuff, and will not throw anything away) I am not surprised that she has already found something to collect.

Our trip to Hawaii pushed her occasional infatuation with the “smashed penny” into a full-fledged obsessive collection. So now we collect “smashed pennies” wherever we go. You know the crank machine where you put in 51 cents and get a penny imprinted with a logo.

Daddy found the cool little folder to keep her pennies in, and she likes to rearrange them and tell us how many spots she has left to fill. Finding a penny is never a problem, unfortunately we always see a machine when Mommy never has any quarters. I’m tempted for her birthday to get her a roll of quarters and a roll of pennies to drag around in her purse so we always have some.

Don’t forget to stop over to the Land of K.A. to check out what everyone else is collecting.

Some Days…

Posted on March 21, 2008 by carrievoris

…it is so easy to be a Mom to these two girls. I think God realizes that you have to have some really, really, good days sprinkled in with the bad ones, otherwise nobody would ever have more than one child!

But we have had a really lovely – very busy – but lovely week. Pretty much a 180 from last week. Although J. did come home one night this week and asked if our courtyard was part of a crime scene.

I was tempted to make so many wise-cracks, but it kind of makes me hyperventilate to think of anything related to that – so I will not go there. Em just wanted to make “snow angels” in the courtyard – don’t argue with the logic of an (almost!) five-year old. So she drew Addie, and I helped Addie draw her. Can you tell which is which? 🙂

We took our friends Michelle and Emma Louise to the zoo. It is always a treat to meander through the zoo and take in all of the sights and sounds of the animals. And it was perfect timing, not crowded at all, and the girls were able to run around and check out what they wanted to see. They found this koala bear asleep in the tree…

…checked out the new Gorilla Reserve (so very cool!)…

…and Addie had her own little animal encounter.

This meerkat was fascinated with Addie! He was right in front of us and every time she would say something or move, he would just stare at her.

She was delighted, of course. He looks a little like a real kitty, so he was “ok” in her book.

And then, there is a park that is about halfway between Em’s school and our house and we have been anxiously awaiting its’ unveiling. They have totally redone the playground and every time we go past it, one of the girls will pipe up with a “Hey, Mama – it looks like the park is almost done!”

So yesterday, after we dropped Em at school, we were driving past it and Addie says the line on cue. And I realized that there were kids on the playground. So she and I did a little “test drive” of all of the new playground equipment.

Addie thought it was cool that she got to go to the park first, but when I suggested we go pick up Em from school and tell her we have a surprise for her and bring her back, she was over the moon with that idea! She could hardly contain herself as we waited for 4 o’clock.

She marched into Emma’s class and gleefully told Emma, “We have a surprise, and I’m not telling you! Come on we have to go!”

So we went to the park. Again. But, man, it is a totally fun park! Very different and fun toys to play with and on. The girls had a blast and Addie told me, “I love this park, Mama. It is my favorite!” Of course, she says that about a lot of parks, but I think it might be Mama’s favorite.

Em was climbing all over the jungle gym thing-y, and was pretty high up, too. I’m still not used to her being so agile, courageous, and able to get so high up, so quickly. Did I mention that she looked like she was so high up? I told her to be careful and she said,

E: “You want to see how I got up here, Mama?”
M: “Sure. How?”
E: “I just put my leg here and then did this…”
(And she hiked her leg up and scrambled up to the top.)
E: “Hey, I think I got the hang of it, Mama! (Then she laughs as if she has just told the funniest joke!) Hang of it! Like I’m hanging! Do you get it, Mom?”

I got it. Funny monkey.

Dis-enchanted

Posted on March 18, 2008 by carrievoris

The disenchantment with her straight hair has begun.

Em has been having either Denise or I put braids in her hair while it is wet at night so she will have “wavy” hair in the morning. The braids actually frizz her hair out a bit and make her look a little like a poodle, but she really likes it.

I put my hair up in velcro rollers the other night before we went out, (No, I’m sorry – I didn’t get a photo of J and I – and the dress. I’m in anguish over the whole thing, since it may have been one of the few times I would have liked having my photo taken. I’ll try to throw it on again soon and snap a photo.) and anyhow – now Em wants to try curlers and see what her hair will turn out like.

Those of you blessed, or cursed as you may see it, with straight hair will recognize the little foam curlers we all used to sleep in to get luxurious, curly hair.

I did vow to Emma tonight that I will not, under any circumstances, participate in any home perm activities with her gorgeous hair. I’m sure my mom is reliving my frightful perm experience.

Yeah, I did the “perm” thing many times in my teenage years, but you know which one I’m talking about, Mom.

Ring Around Our Rosey

Posted on March 14, 2008 by carrievoris

Maybe it is because of one of her (many) nicknames, “Rosey Toes,” but Addie is infatuated with Ring Around the Rosey (or is it Rosie, or Rosy?) right now.

Talking Em into playing with her…

Ring around the Rosey…

Pocket full of ashes…

We all fall down!

Recruit a new player – start all over again.

We Rocked The Vote!

Posted on February 5, 2008 by carrievoris

How very cool is it that our nearly five year old is already excited about voting?

Somebody left some literature on our front gate yesterday and since Em is all about “what does this spell” lately, she asked what the flyer said. So I read it to her and told her that we have to go vote tomorrow over at the school.

E: What does “vote” mean, Mama?
M: Well, you can vote for lots of things, tomorrow we are going to vote for who we want to run for president.
E: What’s a president?
M: He is kind of like the boss. Of the whole country. He helps make rules and laws to keep our country running and safe.
E: Oh.
M: Yeah, it is a pretty big job and so everyone gets to vote, or pick, who they think they will do the best job.
E: Do I get to vote, too?
M: You can go with me and Daddy, but you have to be 18, a grown-up, to vote.
E: But I get to go with you?
M: Yep.

So I figured that was that. Then she wandered downstairs all bleary-eyed this morning looking for Daddy and I told her that he had to leave for work early so he could go to the school and vote.

E: HEY! Mom! (suddenly not sleepy at all anymore) We get to vote today, too! You and me, right? Well, I have to wait til I am 18, but I get to go, right? (First of all…she remembered that she needs to be 18?)
M: Yep. You need to eat some breakfast first, though.

The breakfast was inhaled. She completely cleaned her plate while I was getting ready. AND, she put her clothes on without a peep, had her shoes on and was sitting on the step, ready to go.

Kind of made me wish we got to vote every day.

So we walked over (our voting poll was across the street – handy!) and she watched the whole process with great interest. She asked what I was doing and why I was “voting” more than once. “I thought you only got to vote for one person, Mama?” And basically chattered the entire time we were in the poll.

And then…they got a sticker! My goodness they give out stickers when you vote! Did you know this? She so proudly wore her “I voted” sticker all day. And kept asking “Do people know I went to vote today because I have this sticker on, Mama?”

This could be an incredible history-making election, with either a black or woman being elected to President. And as excited as I am to witness that, I am even more excited to witness my little girl, who is years away from being able to vote, realize what a privilege it is to be able to vote.

This One’s For The Boys…

Posted on February 2, 2008 by carrievoris

…mostly Daddy because he misses his girls so much. But also for Papa because he is apparently unhappy that I have not posted anything in the past two days.

So here you go guys, photos of the girlies from our park expedition yesterday –

I have been tirelessly trying to keep our days filled while J. has been gone this week, so that (1) the days go by a little more quickly and (2) it keeps the girls busy – both of which will inevitably keep all of us happy.

Ah, who am I kidding? I’m just trying to wear them out as much as possible so I can put them to bed by 7:30pm and they’ll be so exhausted they won’t think of getting up before 8am.

Which I must say has been the case this week, so my evil plan is working. Mwa ha ha ha ha!

We have had a pretty uneventful week, pretty routine stuff. The girls have been a good mix of “pulling-my-hair-out” frustrating and “cavity-inducing” sweet. Which means they give me plenty to be thankful for and remind me that J. and I are very blessed, while at the same time not allowing me to get too complacent and lulled into thinking I have perfect children.

They have been C-H-A-T-T-E-R-B-O-X-E-S lately, though.

Em keeps asking random questions. Persistent questions. And I guarantee that we are not done discussing this topic. It will come up again, probably tomorrow.

E: Mama, what would you say to an alien if you met one in outer space?
M: Well, I don’t think there really are “aliens” like you think of aliens, honey. They are kind of just make-believe, like on cartoons and such. (Sorry to offend any of you E.T. believers out there…but I was trying to figure out the easiest way out of this without inciting any sort of nightmares of possible extra-terrestial life!)
E: Oh, I know. But if you could go up in a rocket ship to outer space and you did find an alien? What would you say to him?
M: Hmm…well, I think that if I did find one, he would be so scared because he had never seen a human before, he would run away before I could even ask him anything.
E: Oh. Yeah, he probably wouldn’t want to talk to you anyway.

And Addie…the girl just doesn’t quit with the funny stuff that comes out of her mouth. Yesterday they both came up to me and wanted me to open something –

Em: Mama, can you open this for us?
M: Just a sec, babe. I’m cleaning the cat poop box out.
Ad: Ewwww! UCK! Let’s get outta here, Emma!

And this morning as she was trying to sneak out of eating her bagel, she leaned over and whispers…“Emma, let’s get out of here!”

She has impeccable timing, too. The minute I am about ready to lose it, she will get this goofy grin, look at me out of the corner of my eye and say something that has me cracking up. The other day she was being…well, a two-year old, again, and Em said to me, “Mama? Is Addie pushing your buttons right now?” And before I could even respond, mostly because I was laughing at Em and her assessment of the situation, Addie looked up at me with her big, puppy dog eyes and said in her little sing-songy voice, “But I love you, too, Mama!”

Who can argue with that?!

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