Mountain Road ~ Best Shot Monday

I have some Easter shots to get up still, but this is one of my favorite photos of the weekend.

I took this after our egg hunt on Saturday, as the girls ran up the mountain road ahead to explore on their own. Watching them together like that stirs up all kinds of emotions in me. On one hand my heart breaks as they leave me behind, ready to be free, and off to do their own thing. I am also proud that they are such confident, secure girls that they know I am here, always watching and waiting for them to need me again. But mostly seeing the two of them makes me excited for all of the fun adventures they are going to find together someday.

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Check out Tracey’s today to see what emotions others are stirring up.

Some Days…

…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.

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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? 🙂

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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…

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

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…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.

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

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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.

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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.

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Self ~ Theme Thursday

So our “assignment” for today’s Theme Thursday was to take a self-portrait. Blech.

This is how I feel about taking photos of myself…

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Not a fan. Very rarely do I see a photo of myself and say, “Hey! Look at that – that is a pretty good shot of me!” In fact, I don’t think I have said that since possibly this photo.

But, being a good sport, and knowing that I can’t always be behind the viewfinder, I do want my great-grandchildren to know that their grandmothers actually had a mom. So we hauled the camera and tripod out to the front yard today. It was nearly impossible to get a photo with just me. Apparently my girls are fond of getting their photo taken, Em wanted to play with the camera remote, and she also wanted to show off her curly new ‘do.

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When I told Em that we had to use the remote for the camera, Addie took off into the house and then returned with the television remote. “Here you go, Mama!” She is so sweet. Remotes for all!

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Later on when Em was at school and Addie was watching Ariel (for the 40th time this month), I slipped into the dining room and tried again. I am “ok” with this one, and it’ll be my submission for today’s theme.

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Check out how everyone else fared over at The Land of K.A.

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Also! If you have a minute will you pop over to my friend Vic at Life As I Know It and wish her a very happy birthday? Wow, all my beautiful friends are turning 29 this year! How fun! 🙂 Have the happiest of Birthdays, Vic!

Dis-enchanted

The disenchantment with her straight hair has begun.

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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.

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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.

Crafty Tuesday

I actually HAVE something today – I know you can hardly believe it. Behold, my craftiness for the week.

This week I made a few birthday cards for some friends, I can’t remember where I saw this idea of buttons for flowers, but It was a fun little task. (Vic and Aunt C. – you’ll have to let me know how they travel through the mail!) So the flowers are buttons, I drew the stems and leaves, and stamped the “wishes.”

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AND…I also have two layouts that I got done while the kids were playing together last night. Sweet.

The first was inspired by this post from last year and is called First Born.

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(click for big)

I’m still not completely happy with the title – that may get redone. I was going to do a paint/wash on some chipboard, but I didn’t have the right letters in the right size, and since I’m trying to use what I’ve got before splurging on any other scrappin’ goods…I didn’t get to complete my “vision” for this one.

The second one is pretty self-explanatory.

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The tag on the left says “Sisters through thick and thin” and I finally got to use this velvet bric-brac ribbon that I’ve had for ages – it is the prettiest color green (doesn’t come through all that well in the photos, but it is pretty!) and was perfect between all of the photos.

It felt so good to get back to doing some creative things for a change. Now what do you have to show for the week?

A little excitement thrown in for good measure.

Do you ever have a day where you just relish the idea of not having anything to do (well, except of course the chores of the “must be done so your family stays alive” variety) and then end up sitting down a mere fourteen hours later and realizing that for having “nothing” to do, the day was a “kick me in the butt,” whirlwind kind of day?

Yeah. Me too.

I had intended on recapping our weekend for you, and then realized that here we are, moments away from Tuesday, which makes our weekend kind of, um, well…last week’s news.

But, since I’m already sitting here sipping my tea and ready to write, we’ll recap anyhow.

Let’s see…Friday J. and I had to go to some fancy-schmancy, black tie affair. J’s boss got an award, so we got all dressed up, had a bunch of yummy treats, and a night of mostly adult conversation while sweet, sweet Denise stayed with the girls and got them all tucked in for the night. I, not really having any black tie worthy attire, had to shop last week for a dress and found quite possibly the best clearance deal…ever! Totally cute, Calvin Klein, little strappy, black, cocktail dress. I so loved it when I saw it – and then saw the price and nearly fell over. Make that really, really loved it!  What would you pay for a dress like that? Original retail price = $189.99.

$150? Nope. $100? Closer. $50? That would be a pretty good deal, right?

How about $34.99??

Eeeeeee! Yes. Did I mention that there was only one in the entire store? And it happened to fit perfectly? Sigh. It was indeed fate. So, Friday was fun.

Saturday we had the usual bagel/coffee date and dance class. Then Addie and I hung out and did some crafts and games while J. and Em went to the comic book show.

Yeah, I’m afraid my comic nerd husband is converting the two little girls into comic nerds, too. As much as it pains me to be completely outnumbered, I cannot deny that this may be the funniest photo you will ever see taken in a comic shop.

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Check out Addie just sprawled out, and Emma with her feet crossed – both captivated by the siren call of the comic. Start ’em young, I guess. (J. actually took this a few months ago, now.)

Which leads us to Sunday. The girls and I went to church where they did the whole Passion, the Palms, the procession from the courtyard outside (that is a nice touch…you don’t get to do that where there is still two feet of snow on the ground!), and despite the almost two hour service, the girls were extremely good in church. So, we took them to lunch and to see the Horton Hears a Who movie.

I really liked the movie. They did a really good job of “keeping the Suess” but adding dialogue, characters, and really enough material for an entire movie. I think it may be the first movie that Addie didn’t get antsy at. It is very fun for all ages. I realized that we don’t have the book, so the Easter Bunny is going to see if he can bring it to the girls this weekend.

Which brings us to Monday. Time to do it all over again.

Hoppin’ Down the Bunny Trail ~ BSM

Can you believe today is St. Patrick’s Day and Easter is in six days?

It has totally snuck up on me this year. I just dug our Easter decorations out last week. The girls were ecstatic to go through the baskets and play with the old plastic eggs. And then, I pulled the Rabbit out.

Two, maybe three, years ago now my mom sent Emma this little Easter bunny in a raincoat with an umbrella and it sings, “Singin’ In The Rain” (loudly) when you push its’ paw. Emma, of course, fell in love with it at first sight. It was a hit last year as well, but Addie wasn’t able to operate it on her own, so she relied on us to push the paw for her.

But she knows how to do it “all by myself” this year. It has been serenading us since I unwrapped it.

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Find out what has everyone else “singing” this fine Monday morning over at Mother May I.