T-Ball Tuesdays

& Saturdays. For the next 5 weeks.Gunnar and his best bud Aiden signed up to be on the same team. G was hesitant about it, but the fact that A will be there gave him the final push and I couldn't be more thrilled.

Tonight was their first game, and they both did great. They really hit the ball well! Look at the coach's face (orange shirt) in this shot above! I'm still laughing about it. I think he may have underestimated G's desire to sock that ball! Now, we just have to work on knowing WHEN to run to the next base.
Post-game hug turned dog pile. Can you feel the love?

And the treat, of course! What's county rec without the treat?

Here's to my little guy trying and loving sports for the first time. I hope it's a long lasting tradition.

Big Puffy Red

If you were to open Savi's chest, I think you would find that her heart looks something like the one above.

Big

Puffy

Red....or maybe Blue (that being her favorite color and all)

Gunnar was assigned to give a talk today in Primary. I helped him come up with the outline and Savannah tried and tried to help him practice. He was having none of it. He wanted his Dad, and only his Dad to help him practice AND present.

Savannah said she fretted about it all night. So strong was her desire to help her brother with his talk! She was very upset when he didn't budge.

Fast-forward to after church. I am cleaning up after lunch and find a piece of paper on the table. It has a big heart drawn on it. On the top it says, "Savi's talk". In the center of the heart it says:

I LOVE my mom.
I like my mom.
I LOVE my mom.

I'm not positive, but I think this was written around the time Savi and I had this conversation...

S - Mom, I don't know why, but I REALLY feel like I want brownies.

M - Well, I think I can guess why that is. (Chocoholic that she is) Hmmm, looks like we don't have any brownie mix, but I can make a chocolate bundt cake. I bet that'll take care of your chocolate craving.

S - Yay!!!!!!!!!

2 Great Songs = 1 Irrestistable Piece

Blue Moon

Have you ever heard someone say, "Once in a Blue Moon, I'll......eat tofu, actually watch a chick flick with my wife, cry in front of strangers, laugh so loud my soda shoots out my nose?"

I'm not sure how regularly blue moons occur, but based on the phrase, I'll venture to guess that it isn't all that often. Same goes for what is so lusciously illustrated below...

On Wednesday, our Blue Moon happened. Both kids that are home in the afternoon fell asleep and NAPPED! For a good 90 minutes!!! I was absolutely aghast and delighted at the same time when I stumbled upon them.

I almost didn't know what to do with all the peace and quiet. Syd is very irregular with her napping routines recently, as she doesn't want to miss out on playing with her brother. So even having her down is always a pleasant surprise.

I ended up outside in the glorious weather, inspecting my hydrangea bushes to see if there are any signs of life yet. To my delight, they are starting to sprout some leaves! Yay! I can't wait for their blossoms every year, they are finicky and need a lot of hand watering, but it's always worth it!

Daisy Head Maisy

There is nothing cuter than a pretty little girl with a pretty flower clip in her hair! Since I have two girls, I have been making these double time. I tend to make at least 2 of each version so we can do pigtails, or each girl can wear one and they can match. I find bunches of them in all different colors at the Dollar Store. They are super affordable, and since I already am into beading I have TONS of beads for the center.

They are SO simple to make. I made the ones pictured above at our most recent Bead Night. I picked up a GINORMOUS bag of shaped sequins beforehand, and was thrilled with the results. The cream ones have smaller flowers and beads stiched into the centers and the beads sparkle in the sunlight, they are SO pretty on.

I think I now have some in every color except black. Black flowers are hard to come by, but I keep an eye out for them. See, I never like to pay full price, so I may have to hang on until after Halloween and hope I find some on clearance.

Some of the ladies the other night mentioned we should do an exchange. As in, you make a dozen of the same flower and then get together and swap and you end up with a dozen different ones. If any of you Moms of little girls are interested, let me know, and we'll set one up. I was thinking we could assign by color, so we have a good variety.

Happy crafting!

Mom Tip Tuesday

I say a lot of things to my kids in an effort to keep them on schedule for bedtime.

"You'll be grumpy in the morning if you stay up past your bedtime."

"You won't grow as tall as you should if you don't get enough sleep."

"If I come back upstairs in 5 minutes and find you still in your clothes and without your teeth brushed, I'm going to be really mad!!!"

Sometimes, I'm tired. I'm looking forward to relaxing and rocking my little peanut to sleep....while I catch the latest episode of Castle.

When I have a night like that, THIS has been working really well.

"Kids, in 20 minutes, Mom will be OFF DUTY! If there is anything you need from me, a snack, a cuddle, a paper signed for school, speak now or forever hold your peace....at least until morning."

I'm not sure how this is working. I only know that IT IS. And I love it! Try it with your own monsters, um, I mean blessings, at home.

Warning....they should be at least 4-5 for this to actually work, I think.

Our New Pet

He's totally adorable, and there is "virtually" no clean-up, no walking requirements. AND he meets ALL the kids' specifications for the perfect pet.

Meet our doggy, Window Licker...

http://www.raincitystory.com/flash/screenclean.swf

My kids seriously think he's for real, and lives inside our monitor. Syd keeps telling me, "Let him out, open WINDOW!" Hahahahaha.

Sweet.

New Turn of Phrase

Can you believe this picture is from 10 days ago? We had enough snow to buid a snowman taller than Dad! I loved this Sydney totem-pole snowman. This was before the head went on. She was so funny sitting up there...



Sydney has a new way of saying my name. The tone is a little bit like when someone brings you a gift and you say, "You shouldn't have" but actually you are downright thrilled that they did. The other part of it is like when you are disappointed in someone who did something when they DARN WELL should know better than to do it. You can take it either way depending on the circumstance.

For example, I come home from the store when Sydney has woken up from her nap in my absence, "MOOOO-OOOOMMMM, you're home! Ohhhhh. (wraps her arms around my legs and hugs me)

Next, I pull a big old spiral sliced ham out of the fridge to warm up for our Easter Feast, "MOOOO-OOOOOMMMMMM! Ohhhhhhh! I love you!" (read, I LOVE HAM!)

Today, as I was getting ready to get in the shower, I got undressed and Sydney noticed the sunburn that I got on my chest at the park yesterday. I had taken the kids and their bikes to bask in the 65 degree day on the final day of their Spring Break around mid-morning. I should've known better and put on some SPF 15 at the very least. The sun IS very strong this time of year and we ARE at high altitude...but alas, I did not. I was out for an hour and 20 minutes at the most and this is what I got...

It has happened at least once a year in the Spring, you think I should know better. Syndey sure thought so. She said, "Ohhhhhh, MOOOO-OOOOOOMMMMM, fire! You're SPICY!"

Yes, THAT, I am.

Sweaty Sandal Feet Remedy

Wacky Beauty Tip

Prevent blisters and stinky feet with antiperspirant or deodorant.

Does it work? Sure does, so get rolling or spraying.

“Sweaty feet cause blisters because of the combination of moisture and friction,” explains Crystal Murray Holmes, a podiatrist and clinical instructor at the University of Michigan Medical School, especially if your shoes are too big, tight or wide.

“Using antiperspirant creates a barrier between your feet and socks or shoes to decrease friction and prevents sweat glands from producing moisture,” she says.

How to use it: Roll or spray antiperspirant or deodorant on your soles and between your toes. Also, wear socks made of fabrics that wick sweat away from the skin – microfiber works well – and make sure your shoes fit properly.

Dye Dye Baby

Of all of the traditional Easter activities, this is the one we never miss. The kids love it, and I especially love the "Easter Egg" sandwiches the day or two after! It's especially fun when the dye gets through the shell and your egg salad is colorful. This year Savi showed as much love for those sandwiches as I did, she's converted. We're still working on the boy, but he has come around on asparagus recently, so that's something...After Easter last year, I picked up these q-tip coloring sets for 50% off. We generally go the vinegar and tablet route, but this looked like something that even Sydney could do. You crack one end and the color drains to the other end through the hollow middle...then you just use it like a paint brush.

Sydney couldn't get enough. She yelled at us when thye were all colored that we took hers! I think she did 4 out of the dozen available.

Daddy did this one. He had the kids try to guess who it was, they guessed it was a self-portrait. It's actually supposed to be the Resurrected Christ. Fitting, no? I think it's cute!

The only drawback to this method is that the kids mixed and blended the colors on the egg with their hands, and it wasn't exactly washable....It's washed off by now though, only a couple days.

Love this face on him. He looks like a baby dinosaur.

What are your family's favorite Easter Traditions?

Twitterpated

You know those wedding receptions where they kindly ask you NOT to bring children? Yeah, this WASN'T one of those. Savi's 2nd grade teacher was married this week and all the kids in her class were invited. They have been so excited for Miss Y, they've had her fiance come into the classroom a few times, and Savi always comes home with stars in her eyes. She's a romantic, that one. And she recognizes that powerful feeling that surrounds love, especially the newly engaged, getting married kind of love. It's her fairytale, and it's real for her teacher, who she also happens to AdOrE!Savi and the Bride, Miss Y, NOW Mrs. G!

Check out that beautiful cake! It was a Spring garden theme. Lots of cherry blossoms, tulips, flats of grass, birds nests, brightly painted wheelbarrows, cupcakes, candies and even a tub of diet coke! Super cute.

The kids had a place to sign their name and collect a treat as they came in. The receiving line was about a 30 minute wait when we got there, but the kids didn't mind because they were all glued to 2 big screens with footage outside of the temple from earlier that day.

Savi enjoyed the cake. Gunnar, not a fan of fondant...he was complaining that the frosting was ChEwY. "That's just wrong, Mom!" He did like the spun sugar cherry blossoms though.
Watching the first dance from the balcony, bird's eye view.

Doing a little dancing of their own. Sydney was very cute on the way there she was saying over and over, "I want to go dancccc-iiiinnnngggg at the POTTY."

The kids contributed some artwork for display at the reception and were so excited to point out to their families which one was theirs..

Fun idea, says I.
Don't take a picture of me! She's all of the sudden tired of being the target of my camera's focus.
Yep, she's 2. And she was MAD that the sucker wasn't biteable. She likes the tootsie pops with the chewy middle. She kept trying to bite through it and was hurting her little teeth. Silly girl.

Savi was so happy to see her teacher having her Happily Ever After. She wanted to tape the announcement to her wall next to her bed so she could look at them while she was falling asleep. No doubt she's dreaming of her own fairy tales.

Author-Artist

On Saturday Evening the kids set up this table, so that they could "hear" General Conference, and work on their art projects at the same time. It is still up as of today, because they have been using it daily! It's been great.Savannah has been quite busy since the weekend. She is a 2nd grader, and reads all the time. She has to read out loud 20 minutes daily, which makes great story time for Sydney. It's also good "sister time"! She has really developed a love of reading, and loves to write stories as well as illustrate them. After all, she DOES want to be an ARTIST when she grows up, so she needs practice!

This is her latest book, a product of the "activity table". Thought I'd share...

I love that she included "a note from the Author" and also made sure her picture was on it. "Because people like to see WHO DID IT."
Duh, Mom.And the nice endorsement on the back....It says "Do your children like to eat messy?? If they do, read them this book."

Love my Author-Artist!

DIY Toddler

Friday night was BATH NIGHT! Oh, how they get excited for it. We even had bubbles and color tablets to dye the water from Gunnar's birthday. That, and a tea party bath set, and you have no chance of being bored in the tubby.

Sydney had a bath the day before, but she wasn't missing out on the fun. I walked upstairs to start the water at the right temp, and went into the other room to gather clean towels. By the time I was back I saw this in my hamper...she had undressed herself and removed her own diaper. She had it almost right, all on her own.
Savannah has even trained her to dunk her own hair so it can be shampooed.

She GIVES and receives. She is a good shampooer and rinser for Sissy too.

Savi being silly. She looks like a little Einstein with the bubble beard she's got going.
Savi trying to coax Sydney to hold her breath under water. She's not too sure about it.

I have to say that although it can be frustrating to have one SO INDEPENDENT as Sydney, she sure makes it easy sometimes. A 2 year old who can bathe themselves, and does it happily??

Last night she was up late because she napped late. I was tired, but putting around the house until she was ready to go down. I was doing the evening floor pick up and loading some dishes, then I went and hopped on Facebook to see if my sister was on and chat for a minute.

Sydney was tagging along. She saw Aunt Kasey's pic on her profile and said, "Look it's AUNT KAY-CEEEEEEE!!" SO excited, didn't seem tired in the least, despite the hour. A minute later, I noticed she had left the office and it was REALLY quiet. That's generally a signal of TrOuBlE, but I figured she could have just as easily tucked herself in.

I ventured upstairs. Sure enough, door closed, lights off, Syndey all tucked in, grinning sleepily at me as I kissed her Goodnight. What a good girl!