Sunday, January 17, 2010
Saturday, January 09, 2010
Funny girl
We saw a commercial for the Olympics and I got excited, telling Caroline all the things we'd be able to watch on TV.
Me: People will be ice skating and skiing and sledding!
Caroline: Yeah, and probably making snow angels, too!
At dinner one night, Caroline was telling Daddy about her day. One of the things she told him about was lunch. She said, "Mommy fixed me peanut butter and jelly for lunch. But I didn't want peanut butter and jelly. So I ate it sadly. Like this." She then makes the most mournful, depressed face I've ever seen. Similar to this one:
Me: People will be ice skating and skiing and sledding!
Caroline: Yeah, and probably making snow angels, too!
At dinner one night, Caroline was telling Daddy about her day. One of the things she told him about was lunch. She said, "Mommy fixed me peanut butter and jelly for lunch. But I didn't want peanut butter and jelly. So I ate it sadly. Like this." She then makes the most mournful, depressed face I've ever seen. Similar to this one:
Friday, January 08, 2010
Tee-pee
The tee-pee...
There's a children's store just down the road from our house. I've never been in, but we walk past it to get to the world's most awesome children's book store (Blue Manatee). In the front windows sit two adorable fabric tee-pees. And guess what? Every time we walk past the store front (which is quite frequently because we all love books), I tell Kevin that it would be so cool to have one. Could I make it?
And this is when my husband normally tells me that I have too many ideas, too many unfinished sewing projects, it's more trouble than it's worth, just buy it if you want it. But not this time. Kevin came home, did the complicated geometry/trigonometry, and calculated how much fabric I needed.
The fabric arrived and we were able to put the entire thing together in a couple of late-night sewing sessions. I wish I had pictures of the construction process. I think we both thought this was going to be a royal flop. It is anything but a flop! The girls LOVE it. And I am really very proud that we were able to build this!
(If you want some generic guidelines to build your own, let me know. It was really very easy.)
I do have to tell you that for weeks before Christmas, Caroline was asking Santa for a "ladybug tent" that she had seen in a catalog. She was very specific about wanting a ladybug tent. We decided that this would take the place of the ladybug tent. I worried that Christmas morning would arrive and Caroline would look around and say, "Where's my ladybug tent?" Much to my relief, when she saw it and played in it she declared, "This is BETTER than a ladybug tent!" Whew!
There's a children's store just down the road from our house. I've never been in, but we walk past it to get to the world's most awesome children's book store (Blue Manatee). In the front windows sit two adorable fabric tee-pees. And guess what? Every time we walk past the store front (which is quite frequently because we all love books), I tell Kevin that it would be so cool to have one. Could I make it?
And this is when my husband normally tells me that I have too many ideas, too many unfinished sewing projects, it's more trouble than it's worth, just buy it if you want it. But not this time. Kevin came home, did the complicated geometry/trigonometry, and calculated how much fabric I needed.
The fabric arrived and we were able to put the entire thing together in a couple of late-night sewing sessions. I wish I had pictures of the construction process. I think we both thought this was going to be a royal flop. It is anything but a flop! The girls LOVE it. And I am really very proud that we were able to build this!
(If you want some generic guidelines to build your own, let me know. It was really very easy.)
I do have to tell you that for weeks before Christmas, Caroline was asking Santa for a "ladybug tent" that she had seen in a catalog. She was very specific about wanting a ladybug tent. We decided that this would take the place of the ladybug tent. I worried that Christmas morning would arrive and Caroline would look around and say, "Where's my ladybug tent?" Much to my relief, when she saw it and played in it she declared, "This is BETTER than a ladybug tent!" Whew!
Saturday, January 02, 2010
Happy New Year!
 |
| From January 2010 |
We had a very quiet celebration at home and got two of our New Year's Eve kisses a little bit before midnight. It was perfect.
Every year, Kevin and I have a champagne toast. And every year at midnight we are bewildered as to why we choose to toast each other with a beverage we just do not like. There. I publicly admit it. Next year we're toasting with Blanton's or Disaronno or even Lorina. Remind me next year.
2009 was a fantastic year for us, full of change and adventure. I wish I could eloquently write about all God did for us last year. I see His work in so many little aspects of our year together and I am incredibly awed and grateful. We are eager to see what He does for us in 2010!
Christmas at our house
We waited until we returned home to do our family Christmas. Our third celebration was a very sweet time. Caroline was so appreciative of all her gifts and was so excited to see others open theirs. It's really fun and special to see her "get" Christmas. We all got some very nice things from each other: a new baby doll for Helen, bird-watching gear for Caroline, a Dremel tool for Daddy, an enameled cast iron skillet for Mommy (to name a few).
This week Caroline has been out of her regular activities, so I took the girls to the Newport Aquarium to see "Scuba Santa." It was kind of silly, but worth it to see my three-year-old's delight. Caroline has been asking us what Santa is doing now that Christmas is over and we've been telling her that he's probably sleeping. When she saw Santa scuba diving, she said, "SEE! I knew he wasn't sleeping!" Then she asked me, "Why is Santa scuba diving?" I told her he is on vacation and people sometimes scuba on their vacations.
Friday, January 01, 2010
Christmas in Mayfield and Paris
We had a great Christmas! There was baking, duck hunting, playing, eating, unwrapping, worshiping, celebrating, laughing, resting, merry-making. We were all sad when this Christmas came to an end.
Friday, December 25, 2009
Monday, December 14, 2009
The dresses
It wouldn't be Christmas if I didn't have hand-made dresses for the girls! Caroline still fits into the dress I made 2 years ago. I was so happy when she tried it on and it still fit. Three Christmases in a row is an awesome run for one of my favorite dresses ever! Sweet Pea will be wearing it next year, I guess. I'm pleased that this dress has gotten and will continue to get a lot of wear.
For Helen's dress this year, I wanted something similar to Caroline's dress, but not an exact match. I bought the same fabric (satin batiste) and matched the lace from Caroline's dress. I used the same pleated daygown pattern that I used for Helen's Easter gown and embroidered 3 sets of holly berries with leaves. It's simple and looks so sweet on her.
My daughters are just beautiful - no matter what they are wearing!
Helen is saying, "Please rescue me! I'm all done here!"
For Helen's dress this year, I wanted something similar to Caroline's dress, but not an exact match. I bought the same fabric (satin batiste) and matched the lace from Caroline's dress. I used the same pleated daygown pattern that I used for Helen's Easter gown and embroidered 3 sets of holly berries with leaves. It's simple and looks so sweet on her.
My daughters are just beautiful - no matter what they are wearing!
Helen is saying, "Please rescue me! I'm all done here!"
Wee little tree
Last Christmas we had no idea what our living situation would be this year. We didn't know if we would be in an apartment or a home or if we would have tons of storage or busting at the seams. So we packed up 95% of our Christmas decorations, including our tree. (We do a prelit, artificial tree.)
Caroline said one morning, "Mommy, when are we going to put up our Christmas tree?"
I said, "Well, we put our tree and ornaments in the storage unit in Memphis."
"But...it's almost Christmas," said Caroline sadly. I was crushed.
Kevin heard about our daughter's lament and came home with a tiny tree. A $12 tree. It leans and has a huge bald spot. It's a Charlie Brown tree. I love it. And, in a way, it's perfect for this season in our lives. I would have never been able to keep Helen out of our big tree. This one fits on our window seat.
Caroline had the best time picking out a few ornaments and the colored lights. And there was plenty of room for her hand-made ornaments.
Caroline is thrilled to flip the switch that turns the lights on each night.
Caroline said one morning, "Mommy, when are we going to put up our Christmas tree?"
I said, "Well, we put our tree and ornaments in the storage unit in Memphis."
"But...it's almost Christmas," said Caroline sadly. I was crushed.
Kevin heard about our daughter's lament and came home with a tiny tree. A $12 tree. It leans and has a huge bald spot. It's a Charlie Brown tree. I love it. And, in a way, it's perfect for this season in our lives. I would have never been able to keep Helen out of our big tree. This one fits on our window seat.
Caroline had the best time picking out a few ornaments and the colored lights. And there was plenty of room for her hand-made ornaments.
Caroline is thrilled to flip the switch that turns the lights on each night.
December crafts
I love finding little things that Caroline can create. She really loves it too. All I have to do is say, "Caroline, do you want a project?" and she comes running to see what Mommy has planned.
This was a card-making activity. She dipped cookie cutters in glue, "stamped" the glue onto a card, and sprinkled glitter on the glue. She loved it. I supervised her for a while to make sure she had everything under control and then went to start dinner. I heard, "Uh-oh. Mommy, I got glitter on my chair." Luckily, it was not as much of a glitter disaster as I had envisioned and the vacuum took care of it pretty well. Caroline is a very neat child.
This project was making tree ornaments by stringing beads onto pipe cleaners. This kept her little hands busy off and on for a few hours.
This was a card-making activity. She dipped cookie cutters in glue, "stamped" the glue onto a card, and sprinkled glitter on the glue. She loved it. I supervised her for a while to make sure she had everything under control and then went to start dinner. I heard, "Uh-oh. Mommy, I got glitter on my chair." Luckily, it was not as much of a glitter disaster as I had envisioned and the vacuum took care of it pretty well. Caroline is a very neat child.
This project was making tree ornaments by stringing beads onto pipe cleaners. This kept her little hands busy off and on for a few hours.
Snow
Caroline woke up one morning to something very exciting! She couldn't get through with breakfast quickly enough! We didn't get very much and it wasn't good snow to play in (too dry). It was freezing cold this day, so we were only out for a little bit. I'm sure there are more snowy days ahead for us here in the North. (You all know how much I love snow. Bleh.)
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
8 months
We all agree: You are the busiest baby we have ever seen. Nothing is off-limits or impossible in your eyes. If we allowed it, your favorite toy would be a magazine. You would eat too much of it, though. "No" is just a minor interruption in your never-ending quest. You love to explore and are not easily distracted. Getting you dressed in the morning and at bedtime is an interesting challenge. Determined is one of the words that best describes your personality. After happy, of course.
You love your sister to the moon. And she loves you that far and back. Your smiles are extra-big for Caroline. She loves caring for you - giving you juice in a bottle, showing you how toys work, teaching you sign language. You already have such a special relationship with each other and I pray daily I can foster that as you both grow.
Dancing, singing, and making music are joyful activities for you. If we are dancing together and I stop, you jerk your legs in excitement until the dancing begins again. The piano provides several minutes of entertainment, much to my delight.
Despite all your busyness, there are a few moments of calm in the day and I cherish them. One of my favorite things is to be around when you first wake up from your nap. I take you up and you are happy and cuddly and peaceful. The end of the day is lovely, too. You snuggle your head against my chest as we rock. Your energetic-self gives up for the day and is ready to recharge. You grow warm, soft, heavy in my arms. I hesitate every time I lay you down, remembering that this time in your life is so short. Too short. Your Daddy and I stare at you as you sleep, marveling at the wonder of you.
You remind us that our lives, plain as they feel on some days, are the biggest and most exciting adventures of all. We see that big things really do come in tiny packages.
You love your sister to the moon. And she loves you that far and back. Your smiles are extra-big for Caroline. She loves caring for you - giving you juice in a bottle, showing you how toys work, teaching you sign language. You already have such a special relationship with each other and I pray daily I can foster that as you both grow.
Dancing, singing, and making music are joyful activities for you. If we are dancing together and I stop, you jerk your legs in excitement until the dancing begins again. The piano provides several minutes of entertainment, much to my delight.
Despite all your busyness, there are a few moments of calm in the day and I cherish them. One of my favorite things is to be around when you first wake up from your nap. I take you up and you are happy and cuddly and peaceful. The end of the day is lovely, too. You snuggle your head against my chest as we rock. Your energetic-self gives up for the day and is ready to recharge. You grow warm, soft, heavy in my arms. I hesitate every time I lay you down, remembering that this time in your life is so short. Too short. Your Daddy and I stare at you as you sleep, marveling at the wonder of you.
You remind us that our lives, plain as they feel on some days, are the biggest and most exciting adventures of all. We see that big things really do come in tiny packages.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Lollipop Symphony
The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra has a special set of concerts for young listeners, called the Lollipop Series. It was the perfect introduction to the orchestra for Caroline! They gave out crayons and fun programs in the lobby. All of the musicians wore colored shirts that coordinated with the family of their instrument (strings wore red, brass wore blue, woodwinds wore yellow, and percussion wore green). The program included instrumental pieces, singers, ballet dancers, and sing-alongs. The theme of the program was Thanksgiving, so the pieces were about thanks, food, and animals. It was so much fun and Caroline really enjoyed it. Her favorite piece was the "Old MacDonald Sing-Along" and her favorite instruments were the big drums and the trumpets.
Going to the Symphony is one of my most favorite things and I really hope that is something we can continue to enjoy together.
Going to the Symphony is one of my most favorite things and I really hope that is something we can continue to enjoy together.
Mermaid
Caroline passed Level 1 swimming lessons! On to Level 2...
Mommy: Caroline! You swim like a fish! I'm so proud!
Caroline: No, Mommy. I swim like a mermaid!
Monday, November 23, 2009
Prima ballerina
Last week was Parents' Day at Caroline's dance class. Luckily, Kevin worked nights last week, so he was able to come with me. We were so enchanted by our oldest girl's dancing. We were proud, proud parents that afternoon! We took some video, but now need to figure out how to get it off the video camera. Hopefully, I can figure that out soon!
There was a lot of singing, which was nice. This is "I'm a Little Teapot."
Their last tap dance routine was to "Mama Mia" and was adorable!
And this is Caroline's favorite part every week: the Choo-Choo Train.
There was a lot of singing, which was nice. This is "I'm a Little Teapot."
Their last tap dance routine was to "Mama Mia" and was adorable!
And this is Caroline's favorite part every week: the Choo-Choo Train.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Indian summer
Y'all, I've got so much to post and I'm so far behind in posting it!
We really, really enjoyed every moment of the warm weather two weeks ago. It was wonderful.
I let Caroline do some art projects out on the deck.
Helen is always up to something.
We took a trip to the zoo. It was perfect - warm weather, no crowds. Awesome.
We've been busy! More to come...
We really, really enjoyed every moment of the warm weather two weeks ago. It was wonderful.
I let Caroline do some art projects out on the deck.
Helen is always up to something.
We took a trip to the zoo. It was perfect - warm weather, no crowds. Awesome.
We've been busy! More to come...
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