Back to the other blog

Okay, so I've realized that my life is just too busy to keep up with two blogs, so I've decided to use only my original blog from now on.  I was even able to import all the posts from this blog into the other blog, so they are all in one place now.  So please check the other blog from now on!

Tulips

I really should have taken a picture of these tulips when they looked their best, but they still look beautiful to me even when droopy.  I just love tulips and  really enjoyed this birthday gift, even if they weren't from my husband :)

Melt Down

Tyler showing that he's ready to call it a day after playing outside most of the afternoon.

Backyard

Over the course of this beautiful Saturday afternoon, more girls arrived and some found different (and not so safe) ways to use our playset.  Thankfully, no one was hurt before I was the party pooper. 

Birthday

Thanks to my loving husband, my facebook friends actually think I turned 40 today!  Good thing he made up for that little joke by buying me a cake!

Strolling

Good thing we live on a quiet road.

Sick?

Since Claire awoke this morning with a temperature around 100 degrees, we stayed home from preschool today.  You'd never know looking at her that she had a low grade fever.  Ironically, she actually seemed a little more playful!  Maybe I need to make sure my thermometer isn't broken.

Swinging

When we arrived home from preschool, Claire asked if we could swing in the backyard.  I thought for sure we'd be back inside immediately, but she has apparently overcome her fear of the swing because she was constantly begging to be pushed higher!

Not fair

So badly wanting to join his sister on the playground outside.

TGIF

Not sure what the girls are doing walking around this tree, but it's a Friday afternoon and they're outside playing nicely together, so that's really all that matters.

Typical Thursday

Claire is signed up to go to preschool everyday.  At the same age, Grace never wanted to miss.  Claire, on the other hand, always says, "Mommy, I don't want to go to school everyday."  So most Thursdays, I oblige and Tyler, Claire, and I enjoy a morning at home together before we take Claire to dance in the afternoon. 

Coffee table

All day we make sure the girls' bedroom door stays closed so Tyler won't climb up the bunkbed ladder.  Well, he's got to climb something so I guess our coffee table is the next best thing these days. 

Mess

I knew Tyler was being too quiet in his bedroom tonight.

Ham

What I learned on this Valentine's Day.  Although Tyler is a big ham, he clearly does not like eating it!

Memory

Claire and I went to Chuck-E-Cheese at 1:30 this afternoon for a birthday party.  Thankfully, Claire only lasted 45 minutes because the chaos was even too much for her (not to mention, the Chuck-E-Cheese mouse in costume absolutely freaked her out).  So while Mike worked, Grandma babysat.  And Grace took that opportunity to pull out any game she could find for Grandma to play with her.  When Claire and I arrived home, they were in the middle of our Dora Memory game. . . and of course, Grace won!

Markers

While Mike was at work, Grace was at a birthday party, and Tyler was napping, Claire had fun finding different ways to entertain herself.

Daddy's girl

Since Mike is on call this weekend, he made it home a little early today. . . needlesstosay, Claire was a happy girl!

Drool

Tyler's molars are taking their own sweet time to come in. . . and unfortunately, we've only seen the top ones so far.  Maybe by the time he turns 2, he'll stop sporting a wet shirt all day.

My snacker

My tiny baby is finally getting a little chunky, especially in his gut.  Must be all those Veggie straws he has to snack on throughout the day.   

Laundry

Why I can never seem to get laundry folded and put away.  While unloading the dryer, the whirlwind that is Tyler managed to toss all the hangers everywhere. 

Typical day

Just another normal day where Tyler has something he's not supposed to.  This time, he's doing his best to conceal the window cord in his mouth while gazing out at the rain :)

Computer time

A Saturday morning on the computer. . . at Dora's website watching a video nonetheless!

Party #2

Getting another set of birthday cards ready for a second night of fun!  This time the party was for Allie and Jackson at Pump It Up.  Grace loves this place and was super excited!

Skating party

The first night of three birthday parties Grace will be attending this month.  Aiden's party was at the roller skating rink near our house.  Grace was eager to try roller skating for the first time.  And of course once those skates got on, she fell, and fell again.  Needlesstosay, her eagerness lasted all of 15 minutes.

On and off

A ritual every morning while Mom and Dad get dressed.

Artist?

I tried my hand at art tonight and definitely confirmed what I already knew. . . I am not an artist!  There were over 50 people at the guided art class I attended, and it was amazing to see how good some people are.  Maybe if I go back a couple more times, I might get the hang of it!

Teething

Tyler may not be a thumb sucker, but his hands are spending a lot of time in his mouth lately.  Too bad the Orajel does not work and our favorite go to teething remedy, Hyland Teething Tablets, are no longer sold.  Of course, I had to find out the teething tablets were recalled and off the market after Claire decided they were candy two weeks ago and ate the whole bottle. 

On the move

Too bad the weekend comes to an end tomorrow.  We had so much fun playing outside with all the toys that have been buried in our garage the last few months.  Maybe we'll get lucky and next weekend will be just as beautiful.

Temps in the high 60s

Beautiful, non-coat weather, day 2.   Absolutely loving the springtime weather in January (while it lasts)!

Swinging

When it's sunny and temperatures are in the 60s, you better believe we're going outside.  When Tyler used the swing last fall, he hated it.   I guess his opinion has changed!

Quiet time

While Grace played with three other neighborhood girls in the playroom this afternoon, Claire opted for some quiet time in Mom and Dad's bed (while watching Dora of course).

Clean up

I had such grand intentions to make this donation pile bigger today.  But alas, school was delayed 2 1/2 hours for RAIN!  We had been hearing for a week that the storm heading our way was "hard to predict" and snow accumulations could be anywhere from 1-2 inches or 6-10 inches depending on the direction of the low pressure system coming from the Gulf.  So of course, at 2pm yesterday they decided to delay the opening of school today and, of course, we awoke to snow that looked just like our sandy brown bermuda grass.

Ice Cream

Unlike Grandma's, we don't keep ice cream (or cones) in our house.  So today Claire had to improvise.

Cars

Playing cars with Mommy (and her camera)!

DS

Mario Kart DS and severely chapped lips. . . where is spring????

Writing

Friday night Claire wrote her name for the first time by herself.  And Saturday morning, Grace decided to write Claire a little note:  "Dear Claire I am so mad at you and I am nev (never) gowe (going) to let you see Laura('s) pone (pony) game."  Claire's response to Grace's note: "I don't like that.  Throw it away."

Delayed opening

In our neck of the woods, when there is 1 inch of snow overnight, school gets delayed by two hours.  Of course, everyone was up even earlier than normal (i.e., 6am), so there was plenty of time to play before heading to the bus stop at 9:30.

Lunchtime ritual

Now that the girls are back in school this week, Tyler and I are enjoying more quality time together.  Like this quality moment right after lunch.  Or as my husband would call it, a little gastrocolic reflex :)

Do over

Today was one of those days that just started off on the wrong footing.  Let's see. . . Tyler was up multiple times during the night because his top molars are popping through (actually noticed them for the first time on the 17th).  Then within an hour of being at school this morning, Claire decided it would be fun to fall into a chair and give herself a shiner.  Here's to hoping tomorrow starts off a little smoother!

Bunk beds

Busy day around here because we're finally back to school and back to our activities (Grace had dance today too)!  So here's a picture of our latest furniture purchase. . . bunkbeds!  The girls love their new beds (and so does Tyler who showed us this weekend that we have to keep the door closed at all times because he climbed up to the top bunk with no problem at all)!

Togetherness

After ten days at home, thank goodness the girls are finally back to school tomorrow.  As Claire's face shows, we've all had a little too much togetherness lately. . . though Tyler may miss having his sisters around to feed him all day :)

 

Did you hear the good news?

Bears won! I guess we'll be sporting this shirt again next weekend when we play the Packers!

Human jungle gym

When Daddy is home, climbing on him is a must. 

Comfortable?

Maybe Einstein videos look better from this angle?

The annoying little brother

Tyler has already figured out how to annoy each of his sisters.  The simple act of climbing onto Claire's new bed always results in her crying, "I don't want Tyler on my bed!"  One day, the girls will eventually learn to close their bedroom door. 

Yet another snow day

We're a little stir crazy as it was our 3rd day out of school this week.  And lucky us, we're home from school again tomorrow.  The girls stayed in their pajamas all day, not interested in playing in the snow anymore.  Tyler and I, on the other hand, had to get outside a couple of times for our own sanity.

Sledding

It may be another 10+ years before we experience another snowfall like this, so we had to find something to go sledding on today. 

First snow

Tyler missed our Christmas snowfall because he was sick.  Fortunately, he gets to partake in the 7 inches that fell here overnight

Daddy's girl

Right now Claire is our one child who wants Daddy to do everything for her.  Daddy must give her a bath, brush her teeth, read to her at night. . . and of course, play with her (even while he sleeps).

Clean out day

Mike and I spent a good portion of this afternoon cleaning out.  We made tons of progress and have a lot of trash and donation bags ready to leave this house.  To Tyler's pleasure, we did not clean out any toys this time around.

So sick

I was so thrilled to get a call at 8:30 this morning from the elementary school clinic.  When told Grace was complaining of a tummy ache and had a temperature of 99 degrees, I'm sure the nurse loved me when I asked, "So you want me to come pick her up?"  Let's just say my motherly instincts were dead on this time.  The first thing Grace asked me when I saw her was, "Can I eat my snack in the car?"  And when I took her temperature at home and throughout the day, it was always 98 degrees.  Needlesstosay, Grace got a free day to play!