Eye-Opening ~ Best Shot Monday

I just realized that within the last six days, she has made me sob in frustration and she has nearly pushed me to the brink, but she has also made me tear up with pride, and howl with laughter.

I know I’m hard on her. I always expect more, and the best, from her. She pushes my buttons faster than you can say “Time-out. Now!” And I often forget that she is only six – that she is still a little girl.

But then I get a glimpse of her through the eyes of one of my friends. And my eyes are opened. Singing Taylor Swift into a spatula at the top of her lungs in the middle of the kitchen. Helping the younger kids as they all dance around. My friend looks at me through teary eyes and says, “She is awesome. That is the sweetest thing!” And then I look, I mean really look at her.

And then, I wonder. What other little moments do I just take for granted each day? What else am I missing as I’m impatiently asking her to do something for the tenth time? What will I miss the most when she is all grown up and gone?

I just need to be reminded that every bit of drama that comes with having a six-year old girl, is rewarded two-fold with love and fun.

I’m vowing to head into this week with my eyes wide open. I don’t want to miss a thing.

belly laughs

bsm

Why Daddy Was Late to Work This Morning…

…It was imperative that his two little girlies learned who all the Superheroes are and the story behind each of them.

super_daddy.jpg

Emma can quote the Three Stooges and Simpsons at will. Addie is fascinated with matchbox cars. And they both have become comicbook nerds. And now the girls are anxiously awaiting for Daddy to dig out the rest of the Justice League stuff this weekend.

And so continues his quest…

This & That Thursday

Another week. Another Thursday.

I’m actually starting to really miss my blogging time. I miss writing and capturing the girls and their antics through words and photos. My miserable and sporadic posts are certainly not due to lack of blog fodder. At least twice a day I think, “that would be funny blog material,” but most days I’m patting myself on the back for getting a shower, shoveling some food into the girls, and getting everyone chauffered where they need to be, when they need to be. I just don’t seem to be able to find much “extra” time anywhere. Anybody figured out how to make more hours in the day yet?

No need to answer that, I know I’m only saying what everyone else is feeling, too.

So, let’s see…what do I need to throw out for this Thursday?

Not to detract from the importance of Veteran’s Day, (big thank you to all the veterans out there!), but holidays in the middle of the week really stink.  All day yesterday it felt like Saturday. The girls didn’t have school and J. took a day to be home with them which was all well and good, except, well…there was no Sunday. Now we are smack back in the middle of the workweek, except it just feels out of whack. It just doesn’t feel right.

The day off for everybody did afford me three whole hours to really work on crafts to sell at the holiday boutique, which was a beautiful gift. My lovely husband took the girls to the place I like to call “hell on earth.” Chuck E. Cheese. The place gives me the jeebies. But oh, how those girls love that place. So Daddy obliged them, treating them to cardboard pizza and head-splittingly loud arcade games for hours on end. And then, as if the three hours of peace were not enough, he also brought me home a peppermint mocha. Mmmm…heaven.

Besides yesterday, I think we are all recovering from last weekend a bit. We had the most exciting Daisy meeting, possibly ever. Let’s just say it will be very difficult to top, and all the meetings from here on out are going to seem incredibly boring, I’m afraid.

It was one of our Daisies’ birthday and her dad happens to be the fire captain, so after our already packed meeting, look what pulled up to our house…

daisy_troop.jpg

And…we all got to ride on the truck. I’m not really sure who was more excited about riding in it, the girls or the Moms. And, the firemen were so amazingly patient and kind – it really was a very fun day.

We have a field trip and a service project planned for next month, lots of planning and coordinating going on for that, but man our troop of girls is amazing. They are giddy about every part of being a Daisy and that makes it all so worth it.

With all of Em’s many activities, I feel like Ad just gets dragged along most of the time. So I’ve been trying very hard to make an extra effort to plan fun stuff for Addie and I, and arranging extra playdates for her, too. I cannot get over how much she has grown up in the past few months. She says the funniest stuff and cracks me up most of the day. And she reminds me so much of Em after Emma had started preschool. Little.Sponges. She is very quick-witted and smart. The other day we were in the car and she was being crazy, so I said to her, “Addie you are a goof! G-O-O-F!” And without even a moments’ pause she said, “No I am not, Momma! N-O! I’m not!”

addison.jpg

I know I’m missing a million other things, but I’m also missing parts of MadMen, we only have two episodes til we are all caught up. I’m dreading the last few episodes because I’m so addicted. What will I do for my fix?

Happy Thursday.

Craft Tuesday

CT has been postponed today due to a very late night on Monday. I am in a I-drank-too-much-wine-and-did-not-get-enough-sleep fog today.

I’m a little bit bummed since I have been trying to fit some fun crafts in, but I haven’t taken any photos of any of them yet anyhow. So I guess even if I wasn’t still hurting from last night’s friend’s birthday dinner, I would have to come up with some other excuse.

Next week, I’ll be back with goodies and our Two Birdies Workshop new logo. I *heart* it and am trying to make fabric labels with it for our stuff. In the meantime, I hope to have a bit of time to catch up on my fave blogs this afternoon, so show us your craftiness this lovely Tuesday.

This & That Thursday

I realize it is only Thursday for another 90 minutes. On the west coast. But I’m going to just squeak a little post in here under the wire.

I feel like I need to just write a few things that are making me happy because I am fighting a very bad mood today. Two girls who have not had their listening ears on.  A newsletter that keeps getting pushed into my crafting time due to other people not getting their stuff to me on time. Driving. Kids. EVERYWHERE.  Grrr….

So let’s just remember those things that really make me happy, shall we?

  • Chili Night on chilly nights.
  • Being productive and crafty while watching good Thursday TV shows.
  • GOOD Thursday TV shows.
  • Naughty monkeys who stop right in front of you when you are about to lose it and say, “Ah…I love you Mommy.”
  • A nice, hot cup of coffee and two hours of peace and quiet mid-afternoon.
  • A house that smells amazingly clean and doesn’t need the walk through clean-up in each room.
  • The promise of Friday…

Crafty Tuesday (& Other Bewitching Halloween Treats!)

So last week all the craftiness was about Halloween costumes. We actually had two versions of Em’s bat costume. Her school had a costume parade and it was apparent that our first version of bat wings were not very practical or comfortable.

I had repurposed some angel wings, covered them and tried to make our little bat fly…

DSC_0017.jpg

Since Addie wasn’t allowed to dress up at her school, we had a little costume party with her friends on Friday afternoon so they could show-off their costumes. The little girl to the left of Addie is E.J., Addie’s new BFF. Everything is about E.J. Apparently E.J. is quite taken with Addie, too. When I went to pick up Addie on Friday her teacher said, “Ahh…so E.J. is coming to your house this afternoon? Because I think between the two of the girls they told the class at least 50 times that E.J. is coming over!”

The best friend love is very sweet, and her mom is very awesome too – so I’m looking forward to lots of playtime with them. (Obviously the wee ones and big ones are siblings of Addie’s crew. Like Emma, she has aligned herself with some great friends, I am very happy to say. And they are all just so darn cute, too!)Addie's Halloween Party

So back to the problematic bat costume. My engineering genius of a husband made a suggestion, and Friday night I executed his much smarter plan. Version 2.0 bat wings – sewn onto her black turtleneck. Worked much better for the actual Halloween and trick o’ treatin!

DSC_0159.jpg

And we also put her hair up and Nena worked her makeup magic…she was definitely much more bat-like.

DSC_0178.jpg

And when little Addikins finally settled on being a witch, I was thrilled. I pulled out the old costume from when Em was a witch and Addie just took one look at it and said, “Um, it isn’t very fancy enough. I want to be a fancy witch.”

Girl. You have to be kidding me.

So, Mama “fancied up” the witch costume. The black dress is the original costume. I made her a cape and the very fancy black cat skirt to go over it. Stripey stockings and the witch’s hat and she was one fancy witch!

DSC_0143.jpg

Emmy’s friend Audrey came and joined us for some candy collecting…the terrible threesome.

DSC_0188.jpg

Mere hours before the trick o’ treats, we managed to carve the pumpkins. I didn’t have to scoop any guts this year. A task I gladly let the girls help Daddy with.

DSC_0118.jpg

I think my favorite pumpkin was Em’s. Her very own creation. I especially love the Es for ears! Although the unibrow donated by Uncle Jeff clearly adds to its’ charm.

DSC_0132.jpg

And Addie, of course, requested the black cat. This is what she got. Close enough for the three hours it was used.

DSC_0134.jpg

I’m positive that there are some fabulous costumes and creative Halloween crafts to show off today, so let us see ’em!

Hallowitchy ~ Best Shot Monday

Can I have a “ride” Daddy? (And was before all the Halloween festivities started.)

DSC_0001.jpg

A costume parade. School goodies. An afterschool party with friends. Trick o’ treating. Passing out candy. Eating candy. A time change. And a fun weekend.

Is it any wonder my little witchy is now sick? I’ll be back with photos and stories of our Halloween escapades, but now I need to go wipe a snotty nose and pour some apple juice.