Keep Calm and Carry On

I saw this poster online, snatched it up and had it matted and framed.  Is there any better saying for a laundry room?  I took this photo proudly after finishing 3 solid hours (minus one quick carpool run) of weekend laundry.  It seems to just accumulate magically.  Before I can blink, the laundry bags will be full once again...waiting for me to start the whole process over again.

Training Wheels

Last summer for Elle's 3rd birthday, Jon gave her a tricycle (the first picture above).  It is the cutest thing ever.  She has LOVED it!  We were watching Elle ride around on it in the front yard and I mentioned something about a two wheeler for Elle.  That was the end of the conversation but I should have known better.  A few days later, Jon came home and had Elle go out to the front yard and close her eyes.  She was so excited thinking he maybe brought her a lollipop or some licorice.  Instead of opening her eyes to candy, she opened them up to a new hot pink two wheeler with training wheels.  She was thrilled but also surprisingly nervous.  He took her down to the path next to our house and was so patient with her as he taught her how to use the brakes and to steer.  Gwen is excited too...now she doesn't have to fight for her turn on the tricycle.  Elle has had the bike now for a few days.  Jon came home from work early tonight so that he could take Elle down to the park to ride it where it is flat.  This is what I love about him...he gets it.  It's really not about the material things in the long run.  Some day she probably won't remember the color of the bike or how it sparkles in the sun.  What she will remember is the time that her dad spent with her as she rode it.  How blessed our little girls are to have such a sweet daddy.

Happy Easter

We had so much fun today.  Jon and I woke up to Elle running into our bedroom jumping and yelling with excitement, "we have to see if the Easter Bunny came"!  It was so early especially since I stayed up way too late getting everything ready.  The girls set off down the stairs.  I wasn't quite sure if Gwen was old enough to be excited but the minute she started digging through her basket she just couldn't stop laughing and smiling.  It is so much fun to be the parent and to sit back and watch your children be so happy!  Elle was thrilled that the Easter Bunny drank all of the hot chocolate and ate all of the carrots she had left for him.  The big hits were their slinkies and the pez dispensers.  We headed off to church and we were so rushed that I didn't get pictures of the girls in their Easter dresses.  I will save that for another day.  After church they discovered the hidden eggs in our backyard and set out to find them.  The day ended with tubbies and Elle got out the bunny and ducky towels to wrap them up in.  The Easter Bunny must be very tired tonight.  I am sure he is now resting where he lives (according to Elle) in the North Pole. 

One More Sleep

We measure days around our house in terms of "sleeps".  How many times do we have to go to bed before...whatever fun thing is coming up.  Elle and Gwen are excited for the Easter Bunny's visit to our home.  Elle woke up this morning and asked, "how many more sleeps until the Easter Bunny comes to our house"?  I was happy to report, "only one more sleep"!  She knew it was soon because yesterday one of my favorite friends, Heather, had an Easter Egg Hunt at her home.  Elle loved looking for the eggs and Gwen was perfectly content to sit in the shade and devour all the yummy sweets.  Gwen opened the eggs and ate the candy just as fast as Elle could find them.  We have a busy day today and lots of things are on my to-do list to get ready for tomorrow.  However, there is one important thing that Elle will NOT let me forget.  We have to stop at the grocery store to get the Easter Bunny carrots and hot chocolate.  According to Elle, the Easter Bunny will be sad if he doesn't have both.  He loves hot chocolate, right?

Daddy Daughter Date

Jon called the house today from work and when I answered the phone he asked to speak to Elle.  I handed the phone to her and watched as her little face lit up.  He invited Elle on a daddy daughter date to go to dinner and to see the movie, Horton Hears A Who.  She was soo excited all day long!  When it was time to get ready she made sure that we had matching bows for her hair and even asked to put on some of my perfume.  It is so sweet to see how much they love eachother.  I still remember my first daddy daughter date.  I was 4 years old and my dad took me to see the movie Lady and the Tramp.  Just like Elle, I was thrilled and even remember the shirt that I wore...a white shirt with little yellow flowers on it.  How fun it is to see Jon carrying on this same tradition with our girls.  Before long he will be calling home to speak to Gwen.  

Spring has Sprung

We are getting ready for Easter in our home.  I couldn't believe it was time to get the decorations out already.  Elle was thrilled when I told her we could get our Easter tree out.  I keep it in an armoire in our front room and she is always eyeing it and asking when it is time to get it out.  We made it official the other day and set our little things up around the house.  Every night Elle asks if the Easter Bunny is going to visit, "this night, mama"?  Well, lucky for Elle and Gwen, it is not "this night" but very soon.

Slumber Party

Jon is out of town on business.  When he told Elle he was leaving she started to cry and said, "but daddy, I love you soo much"!  There is a bright side however, to Jon's business trips...Elle gets to have nightly slumber parties with mommy.  She insists on sleeping on Jon's side of the bed and feels so grown-up because Gwen still has to sleep in her crib.  This morning she even got to eat cereal in bed with me and we watched cartoons together.  

OC Athlete

Jon and his friends were the cover story for our local newspaper this week. He has always been an accomplished athlete;  excelling in surfing, motocross, golf and now his latest passion, cycling. His team is called OC Athlete.  You can read the article featuring them here.

Little Girls

There is nothing cuter than little girls in matching dresses.  Elle and Gwen were playing in the backyard together and it was adorable to see them interacting with each other.   I got the pictures of Elle because I told her that she could tell me the Cinderella story if she just didn't wiggle too much.  She stood there with her hands in her pockets and talked, and talked and talked.  Her facial expressions are too cute. Bibbidi- Bobbidi- Boo is her favorite song in the story and she went into great detail for that part of  her presentation.

We Are Learning

Today at church, I ran across Elle's Primary teacher in the hall.  She told me that Elle was having a hard day and was not listening and following directions.  Elle definitely has her moments at home with me but at school and other places with adults, she is usually very attentive and is a pleaser.  I went into her class and there she was sitting next to the teacher.  I took her to our car for a little time out in her carseat.  She did not like that at all!  I then returned her back to her class.  After church we had a talk about it.  This whole parenting thing can be tricky...knowing how to correctly handle all the different situations you find yourself in. Elle and I decided together that it would be nice to write an apology note to her teacher and to deliver it to her at her house.  I couldn't believe how excited Elle was to do this for her. She sat at her desk for a very long time and colored pictures for her and then even "wrote" her own note while saying out loud everything she was writing (scribbling).  We then picked a flower from our yard and put the note I helped her with, her note and a bag of peanut butter crackers (that Elle insisted on including) into a bag.  We drove it all to her teacher's home.  Elle knocked on her door and gave her teacher a big hug and said she was sorry.  This is not the first incident of having to apologize nor will it be the last.  My hope however, is that all of these little experiences will add up and that she will learn from them.