Fingerpainting and Fevers

Lucy's still quite sick, but it's like a lightswitch being flipped-after a very rough night she woke up without a fever and she was in wonderful spirits.

We had a sleepover in her room last night; I slept on her trundle bed, and she thought that was very cool (she's taking her nap on it right now :-)




This morning she had a blast finger painting with Jason who is off for Veteran's Day.



And little Jack was just a doll like always!

Ballerina Bow Holders

Such a fun project! I've seen these at Twice Upon a Time, and wanted it, but you know I would never pay the $40 and up these things go for. Plus, it's so much more fun for me to make things for Lucy!

Armed with our glue guns, fabric, and yards and yards of ribbon and trim, Tiffany and I got together Sunday afternoon to make bow holders for Lucy and Audrey. Aren't the fun!?!

What prompted this specific project is that I totally scored 30 bows for $25 from a lady on Craigslist! Oh yeah! And they're really well made, too. I've got her name and contact info if any of you are looking for affordable bows. In the store, a big bow can cost you $5 and up...that adds up pretty quickly when you're attempting to coordinate hair accessories for cute little outfits :-)

Here's Lucy's:
Here's Audrey's-don't you love the pink flowers!




What else is going on? Poor Lucy is pretty sick-been running a high fever since last night and she's just so out of it today. Very un-Lucy-like. She fell asleep in the car on the way back home from my dentist appt. I can't remember the last time she fell asleep in the car. Well, I shouldn't phrase it quite like that, considering I have a hard time remembering extended family members' names and what I ate for dinner last night. But it's been a long time...Poor baby is feeling pretty rotten. I miss her giggles, and I even kind of miss her shouting at Jack and Toby. It's just no fun when your child is sick :-(

Jack, on the other hand, is super smiley today and had the best time walking around the dentist's office, peeking in rooms and flirting with all the dental hygenists and patients. Lucy kept needing constant reassurance that the dentist wasn't doing anything to her mouth, just mommy's! :-)

It's just past noon, the kids are down, and I get to eat my lunch in total silence! Ahhhhh! Enjoy your day!

Well What d'ya know...

While eating breakfast this morning, I indulged in a favorite activity-reading my Real Simple magazine. (Lucy has her Highlights magazine so she can do what mommy does :-). This is truly a great magazine, and I always find such practical tips (LOVE the section, "New uses for ordinary things"); this month was no different.

Surprisingly, I was able to read more than just two pages before something required my attention elsewhere, and I found so many fun facts and tips.

There was an article about the dishwasher-filled with tips on how to load your dishwasher so you get the most from cleaning it, what the parts of the dishwasher do (not at all interesting to me, but I'm sure my engineer husband would have appreciated it :-), and finally, a part about things you may be surprised that can go in the dishwasher...

Like potatoes (rinse only cycle). Heck ya! I can certainly put this to good use -- every Thanksgiving, well the Thanksgiving meals I cook when we're home, which has only been one to date-last year because Jack was due any day, I love to make Tyler Florence's "Grainy Mashed Potatoes." (recipe) Oh my goodness, they are so delicious and not difficult at all to make! And I hate spending so much time washing the darn potatoes, so this is genius! Stick 'em in the dishwasher!

Other cool things I learned. let's see...oh yeah, the criteria that makes it okay to regift:
1. It's new and has never been opened
2. It's something you would have bought for this person anyway
3. The original giver and new recipient don't know each other at all
4. You've completely rewrapped it.

There were some funny stories about people who have received "regifted" gifts and knew it because the giver was careless. Happened to me once too. My third year teaching, a student gave me a cookbook for Christmas. It's turned out to be my very favorite cookbook because all the recipes are make ahead and bake later style. Anyhoo, about a year after having it, I discovered an sweet message intended for the original recipient (the mother who sent her daughter to school with this book as a gift for me :-). LOL! But, seriously, I don't care one bit. I really enjoyed (and still enjoy) the gift!

Finally, this one's for Barbara, my mother-in-law, who always pays such attention to wrapping her Christmas gifts and spends so much time adorning the gifts with beautiful ribbon and tiny festive accessories. A little ribbon math: take the gift-box length, multiply it by 7, and that's the length of ribbon needed.

Says who? I have no idea, nor do I have the patience when I'm wrapping gifts to actually measure the box and perform mathematical calculations, but there ya go :-)

I'm off to go enjoy the beautiful day the Lord has made! It is beautiful outside and there's a tiny little lady who wants to go swing!

Picture for today: Jason's and my first Thanksgiving together, well as husband and wife (2004). Toby was only 5 months old, and already HUGE! :-)

Playing in the Woods

We've been blessed with another BEAUTIFUL, picture-perfect Fall day today. Jason took the day off and I sent him off to the golf course to get a much-needed break, but before he left this morning, we took the kids to the woods near our house. The trees are peaking with some beautiful colors, and I wanted to see if we could get lucky and get some great photos of our darlings...I LOVE how they turned out! (Wall Project!)

Oh, and finally, I got the best news EVER today (no, I'm not pregnant again, although that would be wonderful news :-)! My dad called and told me the news that I'll get to go backstage and meet David Cook at his concert in Atlanta in a few weeks! OH MY GOODNESS! I know it's silly, but I absolutely LOVE David Cook. I will simply not know what to do with myself when I get to meet him. I'm sure it will involve stumbling over my words and giddy behavior matching that of a thirteen year old! Can't wait-thank you dad, you're the best!

I may just have to whip out some wallet pics of these two beauties! ;-)



Toby was with us running free in the woods; that's who jack is waving at :-)


trademark squinty eyes-that's straight from me :-)






love, love, love!


when did my baby girl grow into a tiny lady?!?

might be my favorite pic of Jack!

They're like two ladies in a nursing home...

So, the title of the post-that's what Mrs. Debbie told me about Lucy and Audrey when I picked up the girls from school today-LOL! She said all day, these two holler back and forth to each other, "Hey Lucy, whatcha doin?" "Hey Audrey (pronounced, "Orrrrdrey")..." So darn cute, these two.

I love, love, love driving carpool because these two little biddies are so entertaining. From the moment we pick up Audrey, they talk non-stop. Some topics that are discussed every time: the cows in the field, Lucy reminding Audrey that I'm her mommy: "Audrey, that's not your mommy, it's my mommy" love that I'm referred to as 'it', singing songs and dancing-they love dancing to the radio. Audrey in particular gets her groove on.

But today the girls had a dialogue that could have sent me off the road I was laughing so hard...After singing, Audrey kept a little tune going by making a noise that could have been considered by some annoying. And Lucy considered it very annoying, for she scolded Audrey, "No Audrey! Don't do that!" When Audrey chose to continue "singing," Lucy took a stronger tone...

Finally, I hear Lucy shout over her shoulder, "What'd I tell you, Audrey, stop! What'd I tell you, what'd I tell you!"

And this is one of those things where if you were there, your sides would hurt from laughing, but if you've seen these two together, you can picture it in your mind for sure! :-)

And I know she totally got that from me...I've never heard Jason say, "What'd I tell you?" He has so much patience with Lucy, it's wonderful. And I'm pretty patient as well, but I know I've said this many time to Lulu, due to disbelief on my part. I mean, I know Lucy heard me tell her to stop squiggling so I can put her diaper on, why isn't she following my directions kind of thing: "What'd I tell you!?!"

But I know none of you parents out there have ever said anything like that, right? :-) Geez, these kids don't miss a thing! LOL!


Check out the video to see what Tiffany's ride home was like on Tuesday with the girls singing!


*these are older pictures, taken in late summer...

They really do adore each other!

kids say the darndest things...

So my mom and dad, "Papa & Lady" were in town this past weekend to celebrate Halloween with Jack and Lucy. They love Rosie's-no argument here- so we went there Friday night for some yumminess. Well, on the way home, Lucy chimes in from the back, "Papa, do you like farts?" As Jason tries not to veer off the road, we all sit there a little shocked; but it wasn't long before the laughs escaped. Quickly catching on, Lucy asks again, but this time to Lady, "Lady, do you like farts?"

My mom suggests a new word to Lucy to use in place of "farts" -- "lollipop". This dates back to when I was little and my parents called farts, "lollipops." (They also told me that a vagina was a "tutu" and- my personal favorite- a penis was referred to as "tail." Led to quite a bit of confusion on my part as a child when my dance class wore tutus in ballet class and the position of a tail on an animal was the hind side...but, I digress).

So I pipe up from the front, exclaiming to my mom, "Don't call it a lollipop! That makes no sense! :-) 'Fart' is not a bad word."

Semantics aside, the rest of the ride home was spent giggling at Lucy, who was now fully aware of the spotlight on her and the cause and effect of saying "fart," especially Daddy's reaction (He was so proud! ;-) just kidding) My mom and I kept telling Lucy that no, we don't like farts, but my dad and Jason could not be counted on to teach the same message. Of course. Despite the awkward sounds and sometimes horrific smells that result from farting, most men think it to be one of the funnies bodily functions.

So, if you offer my daughter a lollipop and she farts on cue, now you'll know why!

Halloween Hangover

If only Lucy hadn't discovered so quickly that all it takes to get candy on Halloween is to knock on someone's door, then perhaps I wouldn't feel so full from the candy she "shared" with me :-)

We had a wonderful Halloween weekend! My parents came into town and got to experience all the fun Lucy has at Little Gym, we filled our bellies with Rosie's Friday night, went to a fun Halloween party at Graham and Wade's Saturday (and I must say, I LOVED all their decorations. I've never seen a more festive house. It was really fun to be there!), and enjoyed trick or treating with Jack and Lucy.

"Papa & Lady" even got into the spirit-my mom dressed up as Ariel's grandmother (Lucy was the mermaid, Ariel) and my dad was The Cat in the Hat. Although Lucy had a real problem with Lady wearing a red wig, so that was unfortunate b/c the wig really did make the outfit :-)

And now we find ourselves already in November, with Jack's birthday and Christmas just around the corner! Six weeks and counting 'til Steamboat-We can't wait!

Here's is some adorableness that can come only from little kids dressed up in costumes!


Lucy is a mermaid, and Jack is Puff the Magic Dragon (one of the kids' favorite stories currently.







Papa and Lady!